


professors daughter

by hpmest



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, M/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), McGonagall’s Daughter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:06:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 29
Words: 42,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29361483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hpmest/pseuds/hpmest
Summary: "𝘪 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘤𝘢𝘵""𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬"in which catriona mcgonagall falls in love with a certain mischief makerORin which james potter falls in love with a fellow animal
Relationships: James Potter/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i first wrote this on my wattpad @hpmest but i heard that fanfics have been getting deleted and didn’t want to risk that happening to mine so i’ll be posting both my stories on here :)

SEPTEMBER 1st 1975

CATRIONA Mcgonagall is not an anxious or nervous person. She is the most easy-going, calm person you'd ever meet. She wasn't even nervous when she flew her first broom at the age of 9. Or when she first played quidditch at the age of 11. Her mother played quidditch during her years at Hogwarts, but never played after her seventh year. However, she was gracious enough to teach her daughter how to play in their garden. Ever since then, she has played and loved Quidditch, though she never had too many people to play with. It never mattered if she had a nasty fall or got smacked with a Bludger, she was never nervous to get back up and keep going.

Today she was nervous, very nervous to be exact. Standing outside the old, large, wooden doors to the Great Hall to Hogwarts, she only saw in pictures on the front page of The Daily Prophet. Standing with all the new first years that were just as nervous as her, made her feel out of place for the first time in a long time. She had never worn robes like the black plain school robes she was forced into. Catriona would've much rather been in her normal jumper and pants. 

Her mother walked out of the Great Hall to bring in the new students, but not before giving a speech. "Welcome students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Here you will learn just about every and all things magical." Catriona stood in the back of the crowd of small 11 year old witches and wizards. "For the next seven years you will be residing in one of the four houses here; Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin. Once I take you through these doors, I will bring you to the front of the room and start calling off names. Once I call your name, you will sit on the stool and will have the sorting hat placed on your head. The sorting hat will then sort you into the house that is perfect for you." 

The four houses; Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin all have their own unique traits. Hufflepuff was know for being patient, just, and loyal. Ravenclaw's are known for having intelligence, wisdom and wit. Gryffindor, the house of her mother, as well as most of her family, is known for being brave, determioned and chivalrous. Those sorted into Slytherin were ambitious, cunning and resourceful. Catriona hoped and prayed she would get into Gryffindor. She would be fine with Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, but not Slytherin, anything but Slytherin. Not that anything was wrong with being cunning and ambitious, but Slytherin house has a reputation for producing the evil and bad sorts of wizards. The founder himself hid a dangerous and deadly creature deep within the castle, if that doesn't scream evil, what does?

When the doors to the Great Hall were pushed open, Catriona and the first years were amazed to say the least. The long hall had a bewitched ceiling that looked identical to the stary night sky that was outside the castle. On one side of the room were two tables filled with students from ages eleven to eighteen. One table blue and one table yellow, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. On the other side of the hall were two other tables, red and green, Gryffindor and Slytherin.

The large group of new students walked into the room, Mcgonagall leading and her daughter bringing up the end. Murmurs rose from the rest of the room:

"Who's that?" 

"She looks way to old to be a first year."

"I've never seen her before"

"Is she new?" Catriona and the first years huddled up at the front of the room in front of the professors table.

❏❏❏

"Bloody hell who is that?" Peter Pettigrew asked his friends.

"I don't know but I think I might snog her," Sirius said, slyly, before getting kicked in the shin by Remus Lupin. "Oi Moony, what was that for. I was only joking."

"You can't just go around saying things like that, Black" Lily Evans said from next to Remus.

"Evans is right" James Potter said.

"I'm hurt, Prongs, I really am. Siding with your girl over your best friend," Sirius said, sarcastically with his hand over his heart.

"I'm not his girl, and I will never be his girl" Evans said, recieving a high five from her blonde friend, Marlene Mckinnon.

"If you guys would listen, we could hear who she is" Remus said, tiredly looking up at the filthy hat. 

After half the names were called, Catriona was called up. "CATRIONA MCGONAGALL!" Mcgonagall called out.

"Mcgonagall?" Remus said, instantly becoming more alive.

"Mcgonagall has a daughter?" Peter said, surprised.

"Now I definitely won't snog her, she's probably just as strict as her mum." Sirius said.

"They even walk the same" James said as Catriona walked to the stool.

❏❏❏

Catriona's legs were shaking as she sat down on the wobbly stool. She definitely has never been this nervous. Why was she nervous? Sorted into Hufflepuff, people will see her as innocent and timid. Ravenclaw, smart and a know-it-all. Slytherin, evil and malicious. Gryffindor, arrogant and self centered. The houses were full of stereotypes that people would believe Catriona to be, whether or not they were true. 

Her thoughts were interupted by a raspy voice whispering in her ear. "Ahhhh a late bloomer. Where should we put you? Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Slytherin? We could put you in Ravenclaw, your smarts would do you well in there. Or maybe Gryffindor, the house of your mother." 

"Please not Slytherin. Any house but Slytherin. I won't do good there." Catriona thought.

"Slytherin might be a good choice, you are a very cunning young lady, you'll do anything to do what needs to be done. By the sounds of it you don't want in there. It must be..." the hat whispered again before announcing, "GRYFFINDOR!" Catriona let out a relieved sigh as she took the hat off her head and handed it to her mother, getting a soft smile from her. As she walked to the Gryffindor table, she was enveloped in cheers and claps and high-fives and then, questions.

Catriona took a seat next to a blonde boy that looked around her age. "Hi, I'm Christopher" the boy said, sticking his hand out for her to shake.

Catriona took and shook his hand "I'm Catriona."

"What year are you in" a girl next to him asked. "I'm Elizabeth by the way."

"I'm going into my fifth year. During the summer holidays my mother taught me magic skills that I would need." she explained. "What year are you guys?"

"We are fourth years, the fifth years are right down there" Christopher said. He pointed a little ways down the table to a group of people. The first ones she saw were a boy with brown, messy hair and glasses, a boy with jet-black hair to his mid-neck, a girl with red hair, a girl with bright blonde hair, a small, blonde boy, and the last one was a boy with a mess of light brown curls on top his head with a scar that went across his face. "You can still sit with us!" Christopher said, hurriedly. "I wasn't trying to push you away. Sorry if it seemed like that."

Catriona let out a light laugh to show him it was fine then said "It's fine." All the sudden plates and plates of food showed up in front of them. The famous Hogwarts feast. Everyone loved it, Catriona loved it. Yes, her mothers cooking was great, but this food was the best she ever tasted.

❏❏❏

Catriona left the feast with a full stomach, talking with Christopher and Elizabeth. Some one grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the croud, the red head. "Hi, sorry about pulling you out, I didn't think you would hear me. Anyways I'm Lily Evans and this is Marlene Mckinnon" she said, stepping back to show her friend.

"Hi, I'm-" Catriona went to introduce herself before Marlene interrupted.

"Catriona Mcgonagall. Are you really professor's daughter?" she asked before getting a light elbow to the ribs by Lily. "Ow, sorry"

"You're fine" Catriona lightly laughed out. "Yeah I'm really her daughter. Not to sound rude but why did you pull me over?" By that time the mass of students dissapeared into the cooridors, leaving the three girls and a few stragglers.

"Oh right, we are your new roommates so we just wanted to make sure you made it to the dorm okay," Lily explained.

"Thanks, it would be pretty embarassing if I got lost on my first day" Catriona said, walking in between the two girls, up to the Gryffindor tower.

"You wouldn't be the first," Marlene said. "First year Peter Pettigrew got lost on his way to classes. No one saw him for a whole week, didn't even sleep in his dorm that whole time" Catriona looked at the two girls with unsure looks before they burst into a fit of laughter.

"We're just messing with you, he was only lost for a day" Marlene said after she calmed down. Catriona laughed as they got to the portrait.

"Tapeworm" Lily said. The portrait named 'The Fat Lady' opened up to a large, circular room lit by various candles and the large fireplace.

Lily walked ahead and Marlene waited for Catriona. "Tapeworm?" she asked.

"The passwords are always crazy words." Marlene said. "I can never keep up with them." Marlene laughed and Catriona joined her as they both walked into the common room.

The common room was so lively for being so late, although it had to have only be around 8 or 9 pm. There were people playing chess in one corner, some already studying, and others were just talking. "I'm exhausted, I think I'm going to go to bed. I'll show you where the dorm is if you'd like." Catriona nodded and followed Marlene through the busy common room.

The girls dorm had five four-poster beds, even though it seemed the three girls were the only ones staying in there. Beside each bed were wardrobes to put their clothes. Marlene went to sit on her bed on one side of the room, Lily was unpacking her stuff on the bed closest to the door and Catriona's trunk was on the bed next the window, across from the door. She crossed the room and started unpacking her clothes into the wardrobe next to her bed.

By the time she finished, Marlene was painting her nails on her bed and Lily was reading a potions textbook with her wand lit to cast some light. Catriona took her wand out and her books out of her bag. At home, when Catriona was bored, she would see how far she could levitate her books before dropping them. It seemed fitting to do since at that moment, she was very bored. She stacked the books on her bed and started levitating them. She moved them across the room before Marlene and Lily looked up. "What are you doing?" asked Lily.

"I used to do this at home when I was bored, see how far I could move them." Catriona said, keeping her focus on the books.

"That's like, advanced wizardry. You're good." Marlene said before blowing on her ruby red nails. The books got out the door and to the stairs before they fell. Catriona jumped up to get them, hoping she didn't wake anyone up with the loud slam. The farthest book was at the bottom stair so she ran to grab it before grabbing the others.

"Hey!" she heard someone from the common room, trying to get her attention.


	2. Chapter 2

SEPTEMBER 1st 1975

"HEY!" someone called out to Catriona as she tried to go back up the stairs to her dorm. Catriona peered around the corner and saw the four boys who were sitting with Lily and Marlene at the feast, the small one had his wand raised. 

"Woah, calm down" Catriona said, putting her hands up once she saw it.

The one with the glasses turned to him, grabbed his wand and said "Calm down there Wormy, she's not doing anything." 

Catriona put her hands down and pulled a confused face "Wormy?" she thought. "Who's name is Wormy?" As if he read her mind, the one with the scar said "Wormy is short for Wormtail. It's his nickname, Peter Pettigrew is his real name."

"Ah so you're the one who got lost over night in your first year." Catriona pointed out. "Marlene told me"

"Marlene and her big mouth" Peter said, under his breath.

"Do you mind telling us what you were doing throwing your books down the stairs?" The one with the black hair asked.

"I will if you tell me why you pulled your wand out at me," Catriona said.

"I thought you were...well I don't really know. You startled me I guess. Don't want people finding out our plans" Peter said, glancing up at her as if he was intimidated. The one with the glasses flicked his ear. "Ow, Prongs."

"First Warmtail and now Prongs? You guys are awful at coming up with nicknames?" Catriona said, leaning up against the wall.

"It's Wormtail and they hold a...special meaning to us. His name is actually James Potter, his is Sirius Black and I'm Remus Lupin." the one with the scar, Remus, explained. "What's your name again?"

"Catriona, or Cat. Catriona is too much of a mouth full" she said. "What were you guys planning?"

The four boys glanced at each other before Peter blurted out, "A prank" 

Sirius snapped his head in Peters direction and said "You might as well go around telling everyone who asks."

"A prank? I love pranks" Catriona said, standing up straighter. "Used to pull them on my mother during summer." Catriona wasn't lying, she loved pulling pranks on her mother. One time during the summer she made all the furniture flip to the ceiling so once she woke up, her mother was facing the ground like a bat. 

"Really?" James said, perking up a bit. 

Catriona nodded and asked "What prank?"

Remus muttered to James and said "Might as well tell her."

Then Sirius butted in and said "She looks like she could keep a secret."

The four boys nodded their heads and waved her over. Peter was on the ground while Sirius and Remus were on the couch. Catriona sat down in the armchair opposite of James and folded her legs up. "Sirius' little brother is in Slytherin, the house everybody hates, and we-"

James was immediately cut off by Sirius saying "and this prat Snivilleus, Severus Snape.

"Anyways," James continued, "We've had this little, we'll call it a grudge, with Slytherin and always do this start of term prank on them..." James explained to Catriona how they were going to turn all their robes to a different color, like bright pink or purple.

Catriona laughed a little and said "Thats good but, if you don't mind me saying, there's a spell that can make their robes see through. Almost like an invisibility cloak" The four boys looked at each other in awe of the new girl sitting in front of them.

"What spell?" Remus asked. Cat looked down at the book she still had in her hand and saw it was her journal, where she keeps all the best spells and potions she's done over the years, and flipped to the right page. "When did you learn this? This is like, hard magic work" 

"I do my research. This journal is filled with spells and potions I've used for things like this" she said.

Sirius turned to look at his friends and pointed to Catriona with his thumb and said "I like her"

The five of them laughed and James said "Catriona, Cat, would you like to have the honor of joining us in our pranks?" 

Peter gave James a surprised look while Remus and Sirius waited eagerly for her answer. "I would love too. But for now I will be heading to bed." Catriona swiped her journal off the table and made her way back up the stairs.

"James, the pranks are just supposed to be for us Marauders" Peter whined.

"She's good Wormy" James responded.

"Yeah, did you see that journal of spells and potions?" Remus asked.

"Moony's right" Sirius said. "She has a huge book of pranks basically, we could use the help. I was getting tired of using dungbombs every time."

"Plus she's cool." James added, before they too went to their dorm.

❏❏❏

SEPTEMBER 2nd 1975

Early the next morning, Cat was woken up by the flooding of sunlight coming into her bed. She opened her eyes, though they hurt from the sudden burst of direct sunlight, and saw a figure standing over her. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw the figure turned into her dorm mate, Lily Evans. "It's too early" she said, turning over and burying her face into the pillow.

"Come on, you're going to make us late" Lily said, pulling her up.

"You guys go ahead, I'll be there," Cat said, now sitting and rubbing her eyes with her palms until she saw funny shapes in the blackness.

"We are your friends now and friends make sure one another aren't late to class. Now come on, we will be waiting in the common room." Lily said, walking to the door. Catriona finally got up and walked over to the bathroom. 

"Is she always like this?" she asked Marlene, who was walking out.

"Unfortunately. I guess you'll just have to deal with it the next three years." She said smiling. "See you down there." Catriona entered the bathroom and brushed her teeth, did her hair, and put on her uniform and robes. She realized how late she was running and didn't bother showering or tying her tie for that matter. 

Not too long after, they arrived in the Great Hall for the last ten minutes of breakfast. Catriona took a seat next to James and started buttering her toast. "Oi, you should probably get more sleep. Maybe then you'll remember to tie your tie" 

"Oh shove off" Cat said, tiredly shoving James shoulder as he laughed with Sirius. "I couldn't sleep"

"Too excited for Slughorns class?" Sirius asked.

"Not in the slightest" she said, taking a sip of her water.

"Why?" Peter asked. Catriona noticed that he didn't talk very much, and when he did, it was very shy and timid.

"Those potions you showed us last night were pretty good" Remus said, taking what looked to be his fifth piece of bacon.

"I did those on my own, I'm not good with being told what to do" Cat said.

"What potions last night? Were you guys studying?" Lily asked, looking forward to look at all four boys.

Neither of them said anything, so Cat did. "No, I just showed them something for this-"

Catriona was cut off my James' hand over her mouth so she couldn't talk. "She doesn't know what she's talking about," said Sirius. "Of course we were studying, Evans. Can never be too prepared when it comes to Slughorns class"

"Alright" Lily said, not convinced. "Speaking of which, we're going to be late" Lily got up and so did the rest of them.

"Classes don't start for another fifteen minutes." Cat pointed out. 

Marlene tutted and grabbed Catriona by the arm, interlocking them "You see, Cat, Slughorn is head of Slytherin house, so therefore, his class is in the dungeon. It's cold down there so be ready." And then they were off.

❏❏❏

Marlene was right, the dungeons were freezing. Once they stepped into the classroom, Catriona had wished she brought a jumper. Potions was boring, just normal explaining the rules thing. They also shared the class with Slytherin, which didn't make it much better. Sirius was right, Snape was a prat, but apparently Lily was friends with him. Snape wasn't as much friends with Lily, it was more like an obsession. If anyone so much as breathes in her direction, they would get the coldest glare Snape could bring up. The good thing about the class was she was paired up with Remus. He was nice, shy at first, but as the class went on he wasn't as shy with her. There were things he didn't like to talk about, like his scar or his family or anything personal about his life really.

The rest of the classes were about the same as potions, boring. They mostly went over rules. Sirius, James and Remus made her classes better though. She didn't have all her classes with Lily, Marlene or Peter, but all with Sirius, Remus and James. Sirius and James never failed to interrupt a class or make Catriona laugh. Remus' small, sarcastic comments made her laugh too, all the time. Cat was truly happy to have been sorted into Gryffindor the day before. And the first person she went to, after her classes to tell was her mom. Of course she left out the whole 'making the Slytherin's robes see through prank' She just told her how happy she was.


	3. Chapter 3

SEPTEMBER 10th 1975

CATRIONA was woken up early Friday morning. She had fallen asleep in the common room while researching stars for Astronomy. She sat upright, wide awake, when she heard someone jump into the room. James jumped off the stairs then turned back to his dorm and called out "Oi Padfoot! You coming?" Catriona heard a grunt in response and James sighed before facing the common room. "Oh hey Cat, didn't know you were awake," he said once he noticed her on the armchair, legs draped over the sides.

"I slept here," she yawned as she stood up. Catriona flattened her jumper before folding the blanket over the chair. "Where you off to?"

"Quidditch pitch, gotta practice before tryouts tomorrow." James said.

"Quidditch? Do you mind if I joined?" Catriona asked, enthusiastically. She absolutely adored Quidditch.

"You play?" he asked. Catriona nodded in response. "I mean it doesn't look like Padfoot... Sirius, will be down so, sure!"

"Alright thanks!" She said, slipping her shoes on.

❏❏❏

"Where do you play?" James asked as he went into the shed to get his broom and one for Catriona.

"I can play anywhere really." she said, tying her wavy blonde hair up in a high ponytail.

"Anywhere? Wow." he said, amazed.

"Well anywhere but Keeper, I'm rubbish there." Catriona said.

"You should try out for Seeker tomorrow. Every other spot is filled but that one."

"I don't know if the captain would want me on, I haven't played since early summer."

"I think the captain will be perfectly fine with it" James said, winking.

"Are you friends with him?"

"I am him" James said, mounting his broom.

"You're joking, really?" Catriona said, joining him in the air.

James nodded and said "Race?"

"Oh you're on Potter" Catriona and James spent the morning before classes racing and practicing everything Quidditch, like hitting Bludgers and searching for fake Golden Snitches. They even took turns being Keeper so the other could practice shooting the Quaffle into the rings.

They entered the common room laughing, met with a worried Lily Evans. "Where were you?" she asked, rushing to Catriona.

"I was, er, at the Quidditch pitch with James, why? Was I not supposed to?" Catriona said, looking from James to Marlene then back to Lily.

Lily sighed and said "You can, it was just that I noticed you didn't sleep in your bed last night and I got worried."

"Don't worry about me, I won't do anything too dangerous," Catriona said before walking past her, heading for the girls dorm to shower.

"Too dangerous? I thought she was normal and did normal, safe, things" Cat heard Lily say before she closed the dorm door.

❏❏❏

Cat didn't bother going to breakfast, she and James grabbed something from the kitchen after Quidditch. Although she did have to rush to Transfiguration to be on time. She walked into the classroom to find that class already started. "You're late" Mcgonagall said once Catriona shut the door.

"Sorry, I overslept." Cat said, taking her seat next to Marlene.

"Are you sure? Because I seem to recall seeing you and Mr. Potter leaving the Quidditch pitch early this morning," she said, as a matter of factly. "Is that correct?" Mcgonagall took her silence as a conformation. "Detention with me tonight for being tardy for the 2nd time this week."

Catriona sighed as Mcgonagall turned back to face the board. "She's your mum and she still doesn't let you off the hook?" Marlene asked.

"My mum? Letting anyone off the hook? Never," Cat said, trying to focus on the demonstration when she felt a flick in the back of her head.

"Oi," she said turning around to Sirius, James, and Remus, who were seated behind her. "What the hell was that for?"

"You idiot" Sirius said. "Why'd you have to go and get detention tonight?"

"I didn't ask for it, did I?" Cat said.

"He's just being dramatic" Remus said, rolling his eyes at Sirius. "We were going to do the prank tonight."

"You can do it without me, it's an easy enough spell."

"Are you sure? It was your idea after all" James said.

"Yeah. And besides, if you lot get caught, I won't be blamed." Catriona said before turning back to the front.

"Prank?" Marlene asked. "Lily won't be too happy about that."

Cat shrugged and said, "She needs to loosen up a bit."

"I've been teling her that since first year. That and to stop talking to Snivellus." Marlene said, making Catriona laugh.

❏❏❏

The next time Catriona saw her mother was that night for detention. Her office door was open, but Cat still knocked before entering. "Catriona," Mcgonagall said, looking up from her papers, "come in." Cat entered, shutting the door behind her, and made her way to the desk her mother was sitting at. "You will be reparing the cauldrons the second years couldn't" Mcgonagal said, waving her arm out towards the large pile of cauldrons.

"All of them? How many second years are there," Catrions asked, amazed at how large the pile was. 

"What does it matter? Do you have some place to be? Perhaps with Potter? Or Black? Lupin? Have a prank planned?" Mcgonagall questioned.

"It was just an early morning Quidditch practice," Catriona laughed out, starting on the cauldrons.

"Reparo, Reparo, Reparo, Reparo" Catriona said for the better half of two hours. When she was finally done, Mcgonagall walked her to the door and opened it, only to see a mass of students running to the dungeons. Boys with no shirt and boxers on and girls with only their underwear and bras on. Catriona brought her hand up to her mouth to hide the amusement on her face from her scowling mother. "What are you looking at me for?" she asked once she finally got her amusement under control.

"Do you have anything to do with this?" Mcgonagall asked her daughter, crossing her arms.

"What do you mean? I've been with you the past two hours, fixing those silly cauldrons" Catriona said, smirking.

"Go back to your common room while I undo this mess," Mcgonagall said. Catriona smiled even wider, not trying to hide it anymore, and turned away to rush to the common room.

When she got there, she quickly said the password and climbed in. James, Remus, Sirius and Peter were talking exitedly amongst themselves. "You four are bloody amazing! You should've seen the look on my mum's face" she said, crashing down, into the armchair. 

"Us? You were the amazing one," James said.

"You came up with the whole thing," Sirius said.

"It was brilliant, you should've been there" Remus said.

"Too bad I was fixing the second year's mistakes." Catriona said. 

Just then the portrait hole swung out showing Marlene "You're brothers got a great body, Black" she said. 

Coming in right after her was a fuming Lily. She marched straight for James and pulled her wand out on him. "I know it was you, Potter. You embarassed Severus and the whole Slytherin house!"

"Woah calm down there Evans" Sirius said, standing between her and James.

"It wasn't his idea to do the prank" Peter said, also standing up in front of Lily. James and Sirius both shot their annoyed eyes to Peter.

"What the hell, Pete, now she knows it was one of us," James said, pushing him aside to stand up.

"If it wasn't you, then who was it?" Lily asked, lowering her wand now. James and Sirius held eye contact wth Lily while Peter shot a worrying look to Catriona. Obviously Lily saw him and now turned to face Catriona. "You?"

"I didn't do anything," Catrion said, putting her hands up. "I only showed them a better idea then what they had."

"And what exactly did they have in mind?"

"Change the color from green to pink or red."

"Making then disappear is so much more-"

"-brilliant" Remus finished. "You have to admit, Lily, it was pretty funny."

Lily had no response and just went up to the dorm room. Once they heard the door shut, all six of them burst into a fit of laughter. "You might want to sleep down here again tonight, Cat" Marlene said, only making them laugh harder.

❏❏❏

SEPTEMBER 11th 1975

Luckily, Lily had calmed down by the time Marlene and Catriona went up for bed. And, luckily, James held off tryouts until after lunch so Catriona could have a proper nights sleep. By the time she had woken up it was around 10:30 am so she couldn't get any breakfast, not that she was hungry. Ever since she arrived at Hogwarts she has been getting nervous more often, like getting sorted and today before tryouts. "Are you sure you guys even want me on the team? I haven't played a proper game of Quidditch since summer." Catriona asked Sirius and James when they walked down to the pitch. 

Sirius flung his arm aroung her shoulders and said "No, we just need more bodies."

James scoffed and pushed them into the locker rooms, "He's joking, you were amazing yesterday morning."

"Cat?" someone said, making Catriona turn around.

"Marlene? Are you trying out?" Catriona asked.

"Yeah, I've been Beater since second year," she said, dragging Catriona through a door, into another locker room.

"Second year? I'm getting a little more nervous now," Catriona said, grabbing the Quidditch robes from Marlene.

Marlene waited for Catriona to get dressed before they both walked out to the pitch, where James was surrounded by the rest of the boys of the team. "Alright, now that everyones here, we can get started. If you're trying out for Keeper go here," James said, motioning to an area away from the crowd. Four boys, seventh years, followed his instructions. "Now for the Beaters," Marlene and Sirus were the only ones to move, leaving seven people for two different places. "Chasers on this side and Seekers on that side." Four people moved for Chaser and two people stayed for Seeker, Catriona and the fourth year she met at the feast, Christopher. Catriona knew that Christopher was the Seeker for the last two years, so she wasn't very confident. Although James was her friend, she knew he would make the right and smart decision. "Now, up on your brooms!" All thirteen Gryffindors rose into the air. Catriona looked over to the stands and saw Peter, Remus, and Lily watching them.


	4. Chapter 4

SEPTEMBER 11th 1975

"Congratulations team mate!" Marlene exclaimed in the locker room. James, Frank Longbottom, and Alexander Stretcher were Chasers. Marlene and Sirius obviously got the Beater spots. Richard Samuels is the Keeper and Catriona beat Christopher for the Seeker spot. Catriona smiled at her friend and they left to meet James and Sirius.

"Congratulations Seeker" Sirius said, high fiving Catriona.

"Thanks. Do you really think I'm good, or were you just being nice?" Catriona turned to ask James.

"You really have to stop doubting yourself." James said. "Besides, it wasn't all my decision" Catriona smiled at him and turned to meet Remus, Lily, and Peter.

❏❏❏

OCTOBER 1st, 1975

After getting on the Quidditch team, Catriona has had a busy schedule. With the end of term only a few short months away, teachers were really starting to give a lot of work. A night rarely went by where she wasn't writing an essay. She mostly spent her night on her four-poster bed, studying. If she needed a change of scenery, she'd go to her favorite spot in the library, in the back by a window.

If James didn't schedule an early morning practice, then it was an evening one. It wasn't like she didn't like the morning ones, the crisp air was refreshing and all but Catriona loved sleep. The evening practices were fun, racing around with her best friends at sundown while James attempted to hold a normal practice. There practice she was heading to now want at the normal time, 2pm, and only for an hour. "Do you know why James is only having a one hour practice at this time?" Catriona asked Marlene as they got dressed.

"I don't really know why, but he does one like this every month," she explained. Cat and Marlene grabbed their brooms, and joined the rest of the team out on the pitch.

❏❏❏

After practice, Catriona showered and decided to get in a few more minutes of studying before lunch. Once she entered the library, Catriona spotted Remus Lupin sitting on the back by her favorite window. "Hey Remus," she asked. Remus' head jerked up as if he was surprised. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Do you mind if I join?"

"Oh-er-yeah if you'd like" he said, moving his chair over so she could sit. 

"What are you working on?" Catriona asked, looking over at the stack of books infront of him. 

"Just some silly research" he said, closing the book he was reading 'Animagus: the long process' Animagus. Catriona's mother is known to be a registered animagus, a human that can turn to an animal at will. Catriona tried to become an Animagus once, but it didn't quite go as planned. She could still transform into one but there are setbacks, she could control them, but they were still there. Because of this, Catriona wasn't registered and her mother didn't want her to be registered.

"Animagus? Are you trying to become one?" she asked.

"What? No, I could never be one," he said, his voice was shaky and he hadn't stopped bouncing his leg.

"Hey," she said. "Are you alright?"

"Me? Yeah I'm fine, why?" he asked.

"Are you sure? You seem a little anxious." 

"I'm fine really. What did you need to study?" Remus asked, trying to change the subject onto her.

"You're sweating" she pointed out. His forehead was dripping with sweat, his hairline was dark and wet. Catriona placed her hand on his forehead to see if he had a fever. "Remus you're burning up! I think you have a fever, a high one," 

Remus abruptly stood up and said "I'm fine! I'm fine, Cat."

"You should really see Madam Pomfrey," she suggested, standing up to him. "Come on, I'll walk you" Catriona tried to grab his arm, but once she touched it he pulled right back. 

"I said I'm fine, alright?!" He exclaimed.

"I know bu-"

"I need to go" and with that, Remus stormed out of the library.

❏❏❏

Catriona laid in her bed that night, tossing and turning, thinking about the book Remus was reading. Did he know she was an animagus? Was that why he had such a bad temper? When it finally came to 5 am, Catriona decided to do something she hasn't in a while; turn into her animagus form.

Cat snuck out of the dorm and common room as quickly and quietly as possible. Once she was out of the castle, she turned into her animagus, a fox. It was more difficult to do than she remembered, I mean it had been over 6 months from the last time she tried. Catriona used to turn into the fox and run through the woods behind her house, it felt good. 

After a little while, Catriona was getting tired so she decided to head back to the castle. On her way back, she was met by a large deer. Cat has never came this close to another animal so she changed back into herself and went up to it. 

"Shit!" she exclaimed when the deer turned into a person, James Potter. "James?!"

"Cat? What are you- How are you-" James sputtered out.

"I could ask you the same thing!" she exclaimed, louder than she meant to.

"Well we-" James was interrupted by the sound of barking and growling. Catriona turned around and saw a black dog chasing something - a werewolf. 

"What is that?" she turned back around to James to ask.

"Turn back into your fox and out of his way"

"His?"

"Just do it" Catriona followed the orders and the werewolf and dog sped past, followed by James and a scrawny rat. Catriona decided to follow.

She followed them all the way to a rickety old shack on the opposite side of the woods. The big dog rammed into the werewolf, forcing him into the building. James and the rat followed so Catriona decided to also. She climbed the stairs and transformed back into herself before she entered the room at the top. "James, what was that- oh my god!" Catriona slapped her hand over her eyes when she saw a naked Remus Lupin laying on the bed. 

"Shit, Moony take this" she heard Sirius say. 

"You can open your eyes now," James said.

Catriona peered out between two fingers to make sure she could before taking her hand down. "Can you please expl- Remus! Are you okay?" Catriona went to sit next to him on the old bed. "Is that blood?" she said, noticing the red stain the the sheet and running down his arm.

"I'm fine" Remus tried to laugh out but it came more as a cough. "You guys need to go" 

"What do you mean?" she turned to where James, Sirius, and Peter where standing, they were gone. "Where-"

"Invisibility cloak" she heard Peter squeak.

"You need to go, Madam Pomfrey will be here and will find out you are-"

"She already knows, she helped my mother and I become one" Catriona explained. And with that, she stood up once she heard squeaking stairs.

"Remus, dear, are you okay?" Madam Pomfrey called up.

"You can come in," he called out, voice still raspy.

"Did everything go alright?" she asked from right outside the door. "Oh, Catriona, what are you doing here?" 

"I was running and then I saw a- a werewolf run in here," Catriona said. There was an awkward silence as Madam Pomfrey and Remus were both looking at her. "I'll go." she finally said before walking out the door and down the stairs. Cat heard more creaking around the corner so as she turned, she took her wand out.

"Calm down," Sirius said. "It's just us" Sirius and James came out of the cloak with a rat on James' shoulder.

"I'm going to need you guys to explain to me what just happened," Catriona told them as the three- four- of them walked back to the castle.

"I think you have just as much explaining as we do," James smirked.

"I'm not the one with a werewolf" she rebutted.

"Can we talk about this when I've had a good nights sleep?" Sirius yawned. James and Catriona laughed as they walked into the castle.

❏❏❏

"There she is" James exclaimed as Catriona walked down the stairs.

"You slept longer than me, and I need my beauty sleep" Sirius said, flipping his hair.

Catriona laughed at him as she crashed into the spot on the sofa, next to James. "Where is everyone?"

"Dinner" Peter said, moving his chess piece up in the game he was playing on the ground with Remus. 

Catriona sat up straight and said "Dinner? And no one thought to wake me up?"

"Lily tried but we stopped her" Remus said, now moving his piece.

"Thought you might be a bit tired," James said, patting her on the shoulder.

"Thanks for that but now my sleep schedule is going to be ruined" Cat said. leaning her head back on the couch.


	5. Chapter 5

OCTOBER 2nd 1975

"SO you got bit by a werewolf when you were five, and you three became animagi during the summer so you could run through the woods with Remus." Catriona checked to make sure she was right, after the four boys explained everything. The boys looked around, cautiously, to check to see is anyone was listening then nodded. "Wow"

"Your turn," James said, leaning back into the couch.

"You know our darkest secrets..." Sirius said.

"...now you tell us yours. I don't remember seeing you on the registry." Remus finished. 

Catriona sighed and said "That's because I'm not registered..." Then she told the four boys she only met last month, something only a select few knew. About how she held a Mandrake leaf in her mouth for a whole month, how something went wrong with the process, and lastly, how she can get stuck as a fox. 

"You can get stuck as you animagus?" Peter said loudly.

"Shh, Pete, we don't need the whole common room to know," Remus said. Peter seemed to shrink into the armchair he moved into from the floor. 

"It can happen sometimes. The last time I...transformed, before last night, I got stuck for a whole week." she said.

"How is that even-"James started before he was cut off by the portrait hole opening up and the swarm of Gryffindors started climbing in.

"And she's woken up!" Marlene exclaimed when her and Lily walked through.

"I can't believe you slept through dinner, what time did you go to sleep?" Lily asked, joining them by the fire.

"I don't know maybe 7," Catriona said. She scooted over so Lily could sit down in between her and James.

"You just woke up and it's nearly time to go back to bed," Marlene said.

"I guess I'll just have to stay up all night and study ," Catriona said as she shrugged.

"Here thake this," Remus said. He handed James a flask, and he handed it to Catriona.

"I don't think firewhisky is going to help my sleeping problem," Catriona said.

"It might if you drink enough," Sirius said, snatching it from her hands. James took it from him, handing it back to Catriona.

"Right, cause a hangover is so much better than being tired" she said sarastically.

"Would you two calm down, its not firewhisky. It's Moony's sleeping draught." James said, laughing.

"Don't you need it?" Catrion said, turning to Remus.

"No, you look like you need it more than me," he said.

"Where did you get a sleeping draught?" Marlene said, grabbing it and looking at the liquid. "Did you make it? I've been trying for weeks."

"Madam Pomfrey has been giving me some ever since first year," Remus expained.

"Oh, what do you need it for?" Lily asked as Marlene handed the draught to Catriona.

"Um...sleeping?" Remus said.

"What else would he need it for," Peter asked. Everyone started laugh at his question, very obviously pleasing him.

❏❏❏

The rest of the evening was spent playing a few games of chess, laughing, and Sirius brought down his record player. They listened to a few of his David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, and Elton John records, Catriona's favorite song of them all was All The Young Dudes. By the time they went up to the dorms, Cat wasn't tired at all. She showered and changed before climbing into bed. As she was about to drink the draught, the door violently swung open, waking up Lily. A girl with dark brown hair that Catriona has seen before walked in carrying all her things. "Who are you?" Lily said tiredly, turning the light on.

"My names Rachel, Rachel Remisski" she said, fully entering the room and shutting the door with her foot.

"Do you mind telling us what you're doing in here?" Lily asked.

"Oh, right, I probably should've asked. Is it alright if I move in with you guys," she asked.

Catriona looked over to Marlene who looked back at Cat, mirroring her unsure look "Um, what's wrong with your dorm?" Catriona asked, trying not to sound rude.

"My mates kicked me out of mine," Rachel said, awkwardly.

"Surely they can't kick you out," Marlene said.

"Apparently they can. Elizabeth, my dorm mate, put up a protection charm that only keeps me out."

"Elizabeth? What year are you in?" Catriona asked, noticing the name of the girl who she met at the feast on the first day.

"Fifth, same as you guys."

"Why were you sharing with a fourth year?" Catriona questioned.

"I don't know exactly. That's why I came here, cause I knew you were fifth years also."

"You can have that bed right there" Marlene suddenly said. She pointed to the bed on the opposite side of Catriona, the one in between her and Lily's. Lily looked at Marlene with wide eyes, as if she was telling her no. Marlene shrugged and said "What? You didn't expect her to sleep on the couch, did you?" Lily sighed before turning the light off and closing her bed curtains.

"She gets like this when she's tired," Catriona whispered to Rachel before shutting her own curtains.

❏❏❏

OCTOBER 5th 1975

The last class of the day was History of Magic with Proffesor Binns. He was a rather boring teacher with a rather boring class, but sitting next to Marlene, and now Rachel, made up for it. "You have got to be joking," Marlene exclaimed.

"No, it's true" Rachel said.

"You did not come across a vampire while travelling to Slovakia," Catriona said, unconvinced. Cat and Marlene came to find out Rachel had a pretty interesting life. Her parents were Aurors which caused them to travel a lot. During the summer holidays they brought Rachel with them. She was telling them about how they saw a real life vampire on their summer trip.

"Proffesor Binns probably got his arm bitten off by one" Rachel said. The three girls were sent into a fit of laughter.

"Excuse me ladies" Proffesor Binns said. The three calmed their laughter as the whole class looked back at them. "Anything you'd like to share with the class?"

Catriona looked at Rachel then back up to the Professor and said, "We were just wondering if you've ever got into a fight with a vampire."

"I'm glad you brought it up..." Professor Binns then proceded to talk about all his encounters with vampires, then eventually got on the topic of ghosts until the class was over. "Oh look at the time," he said as the bell rang. "I guess you don't have any home work for tonight."

The girls got up and walked out of class, joined by James, Remus, Sirius and Peter. "You girls are doing merlins work," Sirius said.

"Now we have a free afternoon!" Peter explained.

"You're forgetting the Quidditch match today Peter." Marlene tutted.

"How are you feeling, Cat, with it being your first game," Remus asked.

"Nervous, defintely nervous" Catriona said.

"Don't be, you'll do great." James said.

❏❏❏

Right before a Quidditch match is more nerve-wracking than practice. Having the whole school there is much different than only having 6 other people there. What made it worse was that they were playing Slytherin, and they needed to beat them if they wanted to keep their 4 year winning streak going. "Still nervous?" Marlene asked as they walked into the boys locker room to start going over the tactics.

"Just a tad," Cat said.

"There you guys are, we need to start" James said, ushering them over to the rest of the team.

"Captain James is aggresive before games" Catriona whispered to Sirius and Marlene.

"Get used to it, Cat," Sirius said.


	6. Chapter 6

AS Catriona walked out to the pitch with her teammates, the crowd roared. Her nerves were not calming down either. "Try not to be too nervous, they can smell your fear," James said before flying to his position. Catriona laughed as she too flew into the air. Her nervousness was gone and was replaced with adreneline as the whistle was blown, indicating the match had started. Catriona zoomed above everyone else, needing a good view to look for the small, rounded, Golden Snitch. 

She flew up so fast, the wind in her ears drowned out the sound of the commentator announcing what was going on. "POTTER NOW WITH THE QUAFFLE SHOOTS AND HE - NOPE TALKLABOT BLOCKED IT. THE QUAFFLE NOW IN SLYTHERIN POSESSION, IT'S GOING FROM VANITY TO MAYFELD TO MASLIN COMING UP TO THE POSTS SHES GOING TO SHOOT - OOOO THAT WAS A NASTY BLUDGER TO THE RIBS." Catriona looked around and saw Sirius looking pleased at himself. She looked back up and finally saw the Slytherin's Seeker, Regulus Black. From afar he looked exatly like Sirius, with shorter hair of course. 

Tuning out the loud commentator's voice, Catriona continued to search for the Snitch. Seeing as she hasn't caught a glimpse of it, Catriona zoomed closer to the ground by the posts. In doing so, she noticed Regulas Black start going after her but stopping once she stopped. Was he following what she was doing? Now that she had a better view of the lower ground, she started looking harder as Regulas went back for the overhead view. "...AND POTTER SCORES! THAT MAKES IT 50-10 GRYFFINDOR," Catriona heard the commentator announce. She must've missed the first 4 but when she looked up, she saw James making a victory lap around the stadium. 

That's when she saw it, the Golden Snitch hanging around the top of Ravenclaw's spectators box. She shot her eyes towards Regulas and saw that he hadn't seen it yet, he was looking everywhere but there. Catriona leaned forward on her broom and sped towards the tower. She was almost there when Marlene stopped right in front of her, hitting a Bludger toards a Slytherin Chaser. "Sorry love, didn't mean to get in your way. Couldn't have you getting hit during your first game," she said before flying away. Regulas was now infront of her speeding for the tower, but the Snitch wasn't there anymore, it was down by the ground. As she was chasing it, she glanced back at Regulus and could tell he was following her and not the Snitch. Catriona flew to where the Snitch sped off to, the posts on the Slytherin side. "60-20, GRYFFINDOR STILL IN THE LEAD!" she caught the commentator say. 

It was gone. She didn't see the snitch anywhere. Cat was circling the field for the snitch when she saw Regulas start to fly up, there it was. Catriona was closer and started going forward to it. As she was feet away, the Snitch shot up and was climbing higher and higher, followed by Cat and Regulas. After getting a good 10 feet above the stands, the Snitch started slowing down. Cat knew this meant it was going to turn around and sure enough, it did, shooting downwards. She sped down, close behind it, going faster than she had the whole match. As the commentator's voice came back, "SLYTHERIN SCORES, MAKING IT 70-30!" As she gained speed, she also gained on the Snitch. "SHE'S CAUGHT IT! CATRIONA MCGONAGALL HAS CAUGHT THE GOLDEN SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS 220-30!!"

Catriona landed her broom, mind dizzy with excitement as the Gryffindor team ran towards her. Her teammates came over cheering and as James got there, he picked her up in a hug before setting her back down, "Now are you convinced you're on the team for the right reasons?" he asked over the cheers. Catriona smied at him and nodded her head. At this time she could see the rest of Gryffindor house and a few professors joining them on the field to give congratulations. 

"That was the fastest game of Quidditch since my third year!" one of the seventh year boys said once they got into their locker room.

"All thanks to Cat here" another one said, high fiving her.

Once her and Marlene got into their locker room Marlene asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling like I need sleep," Cat said, covering her mouth while she yawned

"Oh no, none of that" Marlene said, swatting her hand down. "We just beat Slytherin. I bet Potter and Black have already planned a party in the time we've been out of that room."

"In that case, I'm feeling like I'm ready for a party"

"That's the spirt!" Marlene exclaimed, giving Catriona a high five.

❏❏❏

In the girls dorm room Marlene was putting on a shimery eyeshadow to match her skirt. Lily was trying to chose between a red and a white minidress while Rachel and Catriona were in their bathroom doing hair. Rachel was curling her hair with a muggle hair curler and Cat was straightening her hair with a muggle flat iron from Rachel. Rachel had on a black minidress with black heels. Cat was wearing jeans with a few rips down the legs and a purple, silky halter top. As she was finishing up on her eyeliner, the music in the common room started, Dancing Queen by Arrival.

"Are you two done in there?" Marlene called from the door to leave the dorm room.

"Yeah we'll be out in one second," Catriona called back. She closed the lid to her eyeliner and looked at herself in the mirror. Once she realized she was satisfied, Cat walked out to wait for Rachel.

"How do I look" Rachel asked coming out of the bathroom. She stood in front of Catriona and did a spin.

"Like Cinderella," Catriona said. Rachel had a surprised look on her face. "I may have been raised in a magical house but that doesn't mean I haven't read muggle books." Catriona laughed as she stood up, grabbing Rachel's arm and dragging her down.

The common room was packed with Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws from the ages of 14 and up. Sirius forced someone to stand outside, like a bouncer, and not let anyone under 14 in. Catriona tried to spot her friends in the large crowd. Marlene was dancing with Henry Michaels, a seventh year Hufflepuff. Sirius was by the record player handling the music, with a whole bottle of firewhisky in one hand. James was looking rather bored talking to an excited Lily, and Remus was sitting on the armchair, alone. Cat had lost Rachel somewhere between the stairs and five feet away from them. As she was making her way over to the couch, she grabbed two freshly made drinks out of a fourth years hand and handed one to Remus. "Here" she said. "You look like you need one."

Remus looked up at her and grabbed the drink, "Thanks," he said before he downed it in one gulp.

"Wow, take mine if you're that thirsty" Catriona said, handing him the drink.

"Cat, are you trying to get me drunk?" Remus said, sarcastically.

"Yes, Remus I want to get you pissed" she said. Catriona got up and poured herself a glass of water before going back to Remus, who was staring at someone in the crowd of people. Sirius was dancing with Emilie Hawkins, a Ravenclaw 6th year.

"Cat, do you think I need to snog a girl?" Remus said.

Catriona was surprised at his bluntness and took his already empty cup out of his hand. "Alright I think you've already had enough to drink."

"It's just that Sirius said I need to loosen up a bit and get a girl," he explained, eyes still locked on Sirius and Emilie.

"You don't need to get a girl to loosen up. But I do agree you need to let loose," she said. "Come on." Cat grabbed his arm and pulled him into the crowd to dance.

Nearly three hours later, after dancing with Marlene, Catriona was met with a very drunk James and Sirius. "Cat 'ere you are," James exclaimed, slurring his words a bit.

"We need your 'elp, come wit us" Sirius said, also slurring his words. Sirius was obviously more wasted than James was, who was now pulling her towards the door.

"Woah slow down, we aren't going out there with you in this condition," she said, stopping them.

"No one will see us, silly," Sirius said. 

"We 'ave my invisibility cloak!" James whisper-shouted.

Catriona looked around at all the people still here, there wasn't a lot. "Come on, you two need to get to bed," she said. Cat tried to pull them to their dorm room, but both of them resisted.

"But we won Quidditch today-" Sirius started.

"-thanks to you," James put in.

"We need to party until the sun comes up!" Sirius shouted.

"The sun will be up in four hours, you don't need to party until then," Catriona said, crossing her arms. The two boys looked at each other with defeated looks before staggering towards the stairs, Catriona following. It was very hard to get two drunk boys up the stairs, even if they weren't both a head taller than her.

Once they were in the room Catriona noticed the curtains drawn around one bed, Remus. She felt a pang of guilt for not noticing when he left. Three beds were empty, Peter, James, and Sirius. "Peter must still be down at the party" she said, making a mental note to go look for him.

"Look at ol' Pete go. Prolly with some girl about now," Sirius said, belly flopping into his bed. Cat looked over at James, who was starting to look a bit green, before he dashed to the bathroom. 

Remus peered out of his curtains and said, "Thanks for bringing them up. I wouldn't have been able to."

"It's fine," she said. She looked over to the bathroom and then to Sirius' bed, hearing a loud snore coming from him. "Will they be alright in the morning?"

"Yeah, they'll be fine. Sirius is going to have a wicked hangover tomorrow, but Prongs is somehow immune to them," Remus said, rubbing his eyes.

"Alright well, make sure he gets in bed okay, I need some sleep. See you tommorow Remus" she said before exiting the dorm. Cat climbed down the stairs and crossed the now bare common room. There were a few couples drunkly slow dancing to the slow song that was spinning on the record and someone was passed out on the couch, but no Peter. Catriona tiredly climbed the stairs to her dorm. Rachel, Lily, and Marlene's curtains were drawn so Cat changed into some shorts and a t-shirt before closing her own curtains and going to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

OCTOBER 6th 1975

EVEN though her curtains were closed, sunlight was shining into her bed. Cat climbed out and trudged to the bathroom to take a quick shower. When she was done, she changed into her normal jumper and pants. Cat glanced up at the clock and saw it read 10:15 am, she could still make breakfast. Cat opened the door and as she did, a fat brown rat scurried out of the room, making her jump.

"Good game yesterday," Christopher said, walking out of his dorm.

"Thanks, I was really nervous," Catriona said, walking down the stairs. 

"Where you headed?" he asked, still following.

"Breakfast."

"Do you mind if I join?"

"If you'd like."

"Great." Catriona and Christopher walked out of the room and made their way towards the Great Hall.

The plates were filled with fried eggs, sausages, toast, mushrooms, tomatoes and much more. Cat and Chris sat down in the middle of the table, by some first years. Cat piled some fried eggs and a piece of toast on her plate, while Chris took some sausages and bacon. "So how are you liking Quidditch," he asked, stuffing a sausage in his mouth. 

"I like it," she said, pouring some pumpkin juice into the cup in front of her. "It's a lot more fun playing with a whole team rather than a group of two."

"Yeah, I really enjoyed it last year," Chris said, obviously still bitter Cat got the Seeker spot. 

There were a few moments of awkward silence before Cat decided to go back to the common room. "I've got to get back to the common room, see you later." She wrapped up some toast in a napkin, and left.

As she entered the common, James and Remus were sitting on the floor playing a game of gobstones. "Good morning boys. Where's Peter and Sirius," she asked, sitting on the armchair next to where they were playing.

"Sirius is still sleeping and Peter just got in. Can you believe it? Peter slept in someone else's bed!" James exclaimed.

"How are you so energized? You were hammered last night," Catriona asked, setting the napkin full of toast on the table.

"I told you about his immunity to hangovers. One of the many perks of being a Potter," Remus said, taking his turn in their game. "What's that?"

"Toast," Cat said, unwrapping them.

"Can I have one?" he asked.

"Yeah, I tought you might be hungry," she said. Remus grabbed three, scarfing down the first one. "How do you eat so much, but are still the size of a twig?"

"That is one of the perks of being a werewolf," James said, grabbing the last piece. Catriona laughed as Sirius slumped into the other armchair. "Good morning sunshine," James said, making Sirius grunt in response.

"What's with the sunglasses?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's too damn bright in here. Hey!" Sirius shouted, snapping his head towards the couch were two second years were laughing over a book. "Could you two shut up. There's no need to be laughing that loud at 11 in the bloody morning." The second years looked back down at the book, not making a noise.

"Just because you have a nasty hangover, doesn't mean you can yell at little kids," Catriona said.

"Well, Cat, what do you expect me to do?" he questioned.

"I expect you to wait here" she said, standing up.

"Where are you going?" Remus asked.

"I know a little cure for hangovers," she said, seeing Sirius perk up. "I just need to grab some ingredients.

"Will you need help?" James asked.

"Yeah, I might," she said.

"I'll come," James said, smiling. Catriona nodded and the two left the common room. She wasn't actually going to need help, what she was making was a muggle remedy, Cat just liked spending time with James.

They walked through the halls for a little while until James asked "Where are we going anyways?"

"Professor Sprout's classroom," she said. "There's an herb I need in there"

"Then we should probably go to her office. She'll be in there right about now, not her classroom," James said.

"Good thing I don't need to see her to get what I need. Just need to know how to open a locked door.

"I knew there was a reason to like you" James said, throwing his arm around her shoulder. 

Catriona laughed as they arrrived to her classroom, "Alohamora" The lock flicked and the door creaked open. "Look for the herb 'butterbur'" she instructed while walking over to one of the shelves marked 'Muggle'

"A muggle herb?" James questioned, surprised.

"I never said it was magic" she smirked.

"Then why did you say you needed my help?" he asked, raising an eyebrown. Cat shrugged before turning back to the cabinets, noticing heat rising to her cheeks.

"Aha!" James exclaimed a little later. "Here's your butterbur" he said, handing her a vile filled with mustard-yellow leaves. Cat grabbed it and they headed out the door, locking it. "Where to now?"

"The Great Hall," she said.

When they arrived at The Great Hall, it was significantly less filled than when she was in there earlier with Christopher. "What do we need now?" James asked.

"Coffee"

"Muggles and their weird concoctions," James said, shaking his head.

"I haven't seen a wizard one that has worked as good as this has." she said, pouring the leaves into the deep brown drink. "Done, Sirius should be good in about an hour."

"Great, lets go save a mans life," James said, punching the air. Catriona laughed and shook her head before heading for the large exit.

❏❏❏

"Cat!" Sirius said, interupting her from the book she was reading. "That cure you made me worked wonders. We are so lucky there's magic out there that can do that" He crashed down next to her on the couch, joined with James.

"Yeah...magic" she said, returning to her book.

"What are you reading?" James asked, grabbing her book. "Pride and Prejudice? What's it about?"

"Nothing you'd like," she said, snatching it back.

"We should do a prank," Sirius suggested.

"I don't think I'm feeling up for a prank," Catriona said, continuing reading where she left off.

"Come on, I thought you were fun," James said.

"Now you're just like Moony, boring and always reading" Sirius whined.

"Oi," Remus said, looking up from his book. "I'm right here."

"Don't worry Moony, even though you're boring, your still our Moony," James said.

"Our boring, book-loving, Moony" Sirius said.

"Reading isn't boring. You just have to find the right book" Catriona said, now giving up on reading her own.

"I have yet to come across a book that I have enjoyed," James said.

"I know one you'd like," Cat said. "Both of you" She peered over James' head and looked at Sirius.

"There's no such thing as a book that I'd like," Sirius said.

"If I do this prank with you, will you read a book?" she asked.

James looked at Sirius then said "Deal" He stuck his hand out and Catriona shook it.

"Now for this prank..." Sirius said.

❏❏❏

The prank the four had planned was going to happen at dinner that night. They didn't usually do their pranks so soon after they planned it, but this one was easy enough. Remus just had to take down the protection spell stopping the rain, from the bewitched sky, from falling down on them, to soak the whole school. Sirius and James both had umbrella's to hold off the rain from them, Remus, Cat and Peter, if he was there.

"And you're sure you can do this? It's a pretty big spell" James asked Remus before they walked into the Great Hall.

"Have some faith in him, Prongs" Sirius said.

"He's top of the class in Charms, I think he can get past a small protection spell" Cat said.

"I can do it. I know it" Remus confirmed. The four people entered the hall and sat down at their normal spot at the table.

"There you are, I feel like I haven't seen you all day, Cat," Marlene said.

"Sorry I've been really busy," Catriona said, sitting down in between her and James, so she could get covered from the rain.

"Has anyone seen Pete?" James asked, looking around.

"I think he said he was meeting some Ravenclaw girl," Lily said.

"Look at Wormy go, he's getting all the girls," Sirius said. After the food was out and just about all the students were here and eating, Remus got out his wand. Sirius looked at him and nodded his head, telling him to do it. Remus muttered the incantation and soon enough, the whole school was drenched, apart from Remus, Sirius, James, and Catriona, with the rain that was pouring down. The Great Hall was a mess. Students and professors clammering to get under the tables, a few trying to cover up with a plate and a few people were yelling.

Dumbledore stood up from his throne and bellowed "Finite Incantantem" The rain had stopped and James and Sirius put their umbrellas back under James' invisibility cloak. "That was a clever, yet destructive prank. Whoever cast it will have to face the consequences" Dumbledore announced, eyeing the group of four. "We will find out who did it"

"It's pretty obvious who did it," a drenched Lily said, looking over at her four, completely dry, friends.

"I don't know what you're looking at, it wasn't us," Remus said, smirking.

"You have no proof" Sirius said, crossing his arms.

"The proof is the fact that you four are the only dry ones in the whole hall," Lily said, mimicking Sirius' crossed arms.

"That isn't very good proof, Evans" James said.

"We simply climbed under the tables," Catriona said. 

Marlene giggled as Lily huffed, "Calm down Lils, it was a harmless prank," Marlene said.


	8. Chapter 8

OCTOBER 16 1975

"DOES it usually take this long to wake her up?"

"No"

"She's usually up by a few shakes"

"Maybe she's dead"

"She's not dead, Peter" Catriona had woken up on the couch to voices surrounding her. She must've fallen asleep studying, again. When she opened her eyes, it was all dark and something was on her head, her Transfiguration workbook.

"We could try throwing water on her, mum does it to me all the time," she heard James say.

"If you throw water on me, Potter, I will hex you into next week" she grumbled.

Marlene lifted the book off her head and said "We're a bit cranky today, aren't we."

"Just let me go back to sleep," she said, covering her face with a pillow to blockout the blinding light. At times like these she wished she actually had been sorted into Slytherin so the common room was under the lake, meaning no harsh light

"Come on," Lily said, throwing the pillow on the other side of the couch "You'll be late to classes."

"Let me sleep through Potions just this once," she said, finally opening her eyes to see who all was there. Marlene was sitting on the arm rest by Cat's head, Lily at her feet. Sirius and Remus were behind the couch and James was sitting on the table. Peter was on the floor and Rachel was in one of the armchairs.

Sirius sighed and sarcastically said "It's fine guys, I'll take one for the team and skip Potions to make sure she wakes up." He placed a hand on Cat's shoulder. 

"No, we all need to go to Potions," Lily said, swatting Sirius' hand away. "Now come on." By this time she was heaving Catriona up to a sitting position.

"Oi" Rachel said. "If she wants to sleep let her sleep" Lily scowled back at Rachel, still trying to lift Cat up. It was obvious Rachel and Lily didn't like each other. They hadn't liked each other since the night Rachel started living in their dorm. It didn't make it much better when Rachel's cat, Peggy, mistaked Lily's bed for a litterbox. 

"You can't just sleep through lessons. Unlike some people, I care about my friends academic career," Lily spat back.

"At least I care about my friends physical health. Look at her, she obviously needs more sleep," Rachel said, pointing at Cat. "How much sleep did you get last night Cat?"

Cat layed her head back on the couch, closing her eyes. She didn't like getting into their petty little squabbles, but today she wanted Rachel to win so she could sleep. "What time is it?"

"8" Remus said.

"3 hours"

"Merlin! What were you doing?" James asked.

"Studying for the Transfiguration test," Catriona said, eyes still closed. She wouldn't have studied that long for any other subject, but Transfiguration happened to be her worst class. Marlene seemed to love the irony of her worst class being the class her mother taught.

"I would never be able to study that long" Peter said.

"How daft are you guys?" Lily asked. "We can do magic, there is a potion to wake someone up"

"She doesn't need a potion that will wear off, she needs a good nights rest. I can't be the only one that hasn't noticed how she's been over working herself." Rachel protested. Lily looked around at the rest of the people.

"Rachel's right Lily. Cat's been sleeping down here almost every night" Remus said.

"She should get some sleep," Sirius said.

"What about all the things she will miss today. They could be on an exam or test," Lily said.

"She looks like she'll barely make it to the test she stayed up all night studying for" James said.

"Let's just leave her here to sleep" Peter said.

"Oi, you lot" Marlene said. "How about let's ask Cat what she wants to do instead of arguing about it." The seven of them looked at Cat, who still had her eyes closed. Rachel and Remus were right, she had been getting awful nights sleep on this couch. Lily was also right, what ever they learned in Potions today might be useful in the future. She had to go to Potions, she could sleep during lunch and her free period. 

"Lily's right, I'll go." Cat said, looking at a very pleased looking Lily. Cat stood up and tried to make herself look more awake. "Let me go get changed first," Cat darted up to the dorm room and changed then went to the bathroom to do her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided to keep her hair in the same messy braid she had slept in. She also decided to put a glamour spell on the dark eye bags that were growing under her eyes. 

When she walked out of the bathroom she was met with a concerned Rachel. "I know you feel like you need to go to Potions incase theres something important, but you know what else is important? Your mental and physical health." Catriona gave Rachel a light smile before grabbing her bag and heading down stairs.

"I can stay here with you if you don't want to go" James said, walking out of the common room with her.

"Stay if you'd like, but you don't have to use me as your excuse to get away from Snape," Cat said, looking over at him while they walked down the stairs.

"Ugh, don't remind me," he said, rolling his eyes. Slughorn had made Lily and James swap partners. Now James was with Snape and Sirius was with Lily. James was more upset than Sirius, Sirius knew Lily would do the work.

❏❏❏

She suddenly felt more awake as her, James, Sirius, and Remus stepped into the dungeons. The cold air mixed with the horrid stentch of whatever potion thay were making that morning seemed to do just the thing. Remus, Catriona, Sirius, and Lily shared a workstation and all sat down around the table. "You'll feel better once were done with this class," Lily said offering a warm smile. Catriona smiled back, trying to convince Lily and herself that she was ready for the double Potions period they had ahead of them.

Throughout the whole class, Cat was fighting to keep her eyes open. Remus could tell so he took over gathering the ingrediants, crushing them, and added them, all Cat had to do was stur at an even pace.

By the time the two hour class was over, Catriona couldn't wait to sleep for her free period. Lily parted from Remus, Sirius and Cat, going to talk to Snape, and was replaced by a venting James. He complained about Snape the whole walk back to the common room. "I would love to sleep with you right now," Sirius said, crashing next to Cat on the couch. Catriona turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Oh my god not like that! You wish you could get with me," he said.

Catriona laughed and tiredly shook her head. "Actually, when he first saw you, at the sorting ceremony, he said-" Remus started, but was cut off by Sirius' hand covering his mouth, stopping him from talking.

"Wow, looks like Moony is sleep deprived too, coming up with imaginary things," Sirius said.

"No hes not," James said. He turned to Catriona and continued, "When you were first walking down the hall, he said-"

"he wanted to snog me. I know, Marlene told me." Catriona finished, turning to Sirius. "No chance in hell, Black." 

The portrait hole swung open and Marlene and Peter walked in, "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" Marlene asked.

"Yes, mum, I will go to bed right now," Catriona said, sarcastically.

"Good, and if I come up there and find you messing around, you are grounded. Do you here me?" Marlene said, matching Cat's energy. The two girls laughed and Marlene took Cat's place on the couch as she walked up to the dorm room. 

❏❏❏

Catriona woke up to find out that she had missed her second meal of the day. When she walked down the stairs, she saw Remus rushing around the common room. "What are you looking for?" she asked.

"My wand, I can't find it anywhere" he said, now on his hands and knees, looking under the couch. Catriona scanned the room before looking at the small table right next to the stairs with his wand on it. 

"Here" she said, handing it to him.

"Ah thanks Cat, you're a life saver," he said, grabbing it.

"You're welcome," she said. "Do you happen to have anything from lunch, I'm starving"

"Yeah, here" he said, grabbing a biscuit off the table.

"Thanks." she said grabbing it, and kissed him on the cheek. They walked out of the common room, heading for Charms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was boring and i hated it😅


	9. Chapter 9

OCTOBER 31st 1975

EVER since the 16th, Cat has been trying not to fall asleep on the couch. Sometimes it happened when she was studying and didn't feel like going back up to the dorm room. Rachel and Lily still fought all the time. One time, Catriona thought they might hex eachother, causing Marlene having to take Lily out of the room. "Would you too calm down," Cat groaned from across the room. Lily and Rachel were going at eachother again about something stupid. Lily was getting mad that Rachel's side of the room was messy and untidy.

"I just don't get why you just can't pick up some of your dirty robes," Lily said, starting on her second foot of her essay. "Or make your bed for that matter."

"I'm too busy in the morning to do it, and besides, the house elves gather my robes at the end of the day," Rachel retorted.

"I'm trying to study, guys," Catriona tried to say, but neither would listen.

"You shouldn't rely on the elves to do everything for you. They already make your food and clean all the rooms, I doubt they have time to pick up after you" 

"Stop it, will you! You two can't be in the same room for more than ten minutes without bickering," Cat said. And with that, she grabbed her stuff and went to the common room. She sat on the floor infront of the fire, spread out her history books, and went back to her schoolwork.

Catriona was left alone with her work for exactly twenty minutes before the portrait door burst open and a group of loud boys climbed in. Cat sighed and leaned forward, resting her head on her books. It was hard to find alone time in the Gryffindor common room on a normal day, let alone a saturday holiday. "Alright there Cat?" 

"Hm," Cat picked her head up and looked at the four boys in front of her; Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter. "Yeah, peachy"

"What are you up to with all these books," Sirius asked, grabbing one of them and flipping through it, causing her to lose her place.

"Studying," she said as she grabbed the book back.

"What are you studying?" Peter asked.

"History of Magic."

"Why don't you come and hangout with us," James asked. "It is Saturday, not a day to be studying."

"I can't. I'd rather finish it all up now than do it last minute," Cat said. James bent down and picked up her book to look at it.

"I don't even remember what we are talking about in his class," he said, inspecting the page she was on.

"If you would pay attention, you'd know," she said, standing now. "Can I have it back?" Cat went to reach for the book, but James only pulled it further back, still reading. As she tried again, he held it high above his head. "Very funny, James. Now give it here, I need it" 

"Here, Padfoot" James said, throwing the book to Sirius.

"Ah, the history of Dark Arts, a very interesting topic," he said, holding the book close to his face, out of her reach. 

"Could've just asked you, couldn't she Pads? You're family has enough knowledge in that department," Remus said, smirking up at Sirius. Cat was starting to get annoyed with them, and stood on the table to get above Sirius and grab the book. Once she tried, Sirius threw the book to James, who was standing on the couch.

"Don't you guys have anything better to do instead of pestering me?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"No, not really," Peter said. "We've already had lunch and Sirius already hexed some Slytherins."

"Besides, this is much more exciting," James said, looking down at Cat. She looked up at him, done with his tricks. Cat took out her wand and flicked it towards him and muttered "Expelliarmus" Her book fell out of his hands, onto the floor. Cat climbed off the table and picked it up, along with her other books. Stuffing them into her bag, she rushed out of the common room and headed for the library.

Half way there she bumped into someone, "Woah there Cat. Where you off to in such a rush," Marlene said.

"Sorry Marlene. I was just headed to the library, if you'd like to join," Cat said.

"I would love too," Marlene said, turning on her heels towards the library. "Why aren't you studying in the common room?"

"Too many distractions. What with Rachel and Lily bickering and James and Sirius bothering me, I couldn't concentrate," Catriona explained.

"I think he fancies you, James," Marlene said.

Cat was caught off guard and looked over to her blonde friend. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, before you got here, he was crazy for Lily. He had been trying to get with her since second year," Marlene explained. "Now in the two months you've been here, he's been less infatuated with her."

"No way," Cat said, shaking her head. "We are friends, just friends, nothing more. Besides, I don't think I could deal with him." The two girls laughed as they entered the silent library.

❏❏❏

Catriona did a prank, a real one, by herself that night. Well it wasn't as much of a prank than messing with Filch. Cat left The Great Hall, which had been decorated with an eerie sky and jack-o-lanters hovering above their heads, and entered the equally as decoarated cooridors not too long before the feast would be finished. She hadn't thought of the 'prank' until she saw Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, roaming the halls. Apparently Mrs. Norris hadn't heard, she simply just kept walking around. Catriona snuck up on the cat and pulled out her wand. She pointed it at the cat and muttered an incantation. She heard Filch's footsteps coming around the corner before the cat had finished transforming into the jack-o-lantern she had cast it to be. "Shit," she said under her breath. Without thinking twice, Cat turned around and bolted for the common room.

Turning down a cooridor, she looked back to see if Filch was following. Cat heard his running footsteps and sped up a tad. Once she turned her head back around, she rammed into someone. "Cat, there you are," Remus said. "Guys, she's over here!" From down another cooridor, James, Sirius and Peter came out. 

"Are you alright Cat?" Peter asked.

"You look a bit flustered" Remus said.

"Yeah...I'm fine" she said, realizing how out of breath she was. Now that she had run into Remus, Filch was definitly going to catch up.

"Are you out of breath?"Sirius asked. Catriona didn't answer or continue running. Instead, she looked around the cooridor for somewhere to escape. Her eyes fell on the large window on the wall James was leaning against and had a crazy, if not the craziest, idea. She walked over to the window before she heard, "Where are you! I saw what you did to my cat!" Filch's voice came from around the corner, now walking.

"What did you do to his cat?" James asked, turning to her. Cat shrugged, pointing her wand out towards the grounds and whispering another incantation.

"God, hopefully this works" she thought.

"What are you doing?" Peter asked. 

"I'll...er... see you boys later," she said, saluting them before jumping out of the window, landing safely on her broom and flying off.

"What the hell?" James exclaimed, running over to the window.

"She is fucking crazy," Sirius said as the four boys watched her fly off, towards the ground.

"There you are." The boys turned around and saw Filch standing there.

"We didn't do anything, I promise," Peter rushed out.

"Save it for the head master," Filch said, beckoning them forward. Remus and Sirius looked at each other before groaning. James put his face into his hand, before following Filch.

❏❏❏

Cat landed safely on the ground outside the shack of brooms, returning it. Catriona started making her way back to the common room. By this time, the feast was over with and everyone was back at the Gryffindor tower. Most people were in the common room, although some in their dorms. Cat walked over to where Marlene and Rachel were sitting on the couch. Catriona took a seat on the armchair, draping her legs over the sides. "Where were you?" Rachel asked.

"Running from Filch" she answered, nonchalantly.

"Filch? What did you do?" Marlene asked. Catriona explained how she turned Mrs. Norris into a pumpkin, how Filch found her and how she impulsivly jumped out the second story window. Marlene and Rachel found it amazing, Cat wasn't looking forward to telling Lily. Rachel suggested not telling her, but she would find out soon enough. Once the two girls left, there was nothing left to do besides wait. Wait for the boys to get back.


	10. Chapter 10

"YOU," James exclaimed as he entered the common room. "You just got us a weeks worth of detention."

"Me?" Cat asked, sarcastically, as she looked up from the book she had been reading and craned her neck to look over the back of the armchair. "I've been here reading since the feast ended." Catriona smirked as the four boys made their way over to stand in front of her.

"What did you do exactly," Sirius asked, intrigued.

"Filch didn't say anything?"

"Nope," Remus said. "Just marched us down to his office."

"I turned Mrs. Norris into a pumpkin."

"You did what?" Peter exclaimed. "No ones ever touched Mrs. Norris!"

"There's a first time for everything Peter" Cat said. There was an awkward silence as the four boys looked at her before James stuck his hand out for a high five.

"You may have gotten us detentions," he said as Cat smacked his hand. "But that was a bloody good prank."

"And a bloody good get-away" Sirius added.

"You are a true Gryffindor. Jumping out a second story window with no fear," Remus said.

"Which potentially could've been the last time you ever jumped" Peter mumbled just loud enough for them to hear before all five burst into laughter.

❏❏❏

NOVEMBER 7th 1975

"How was the last day of your detentions," Cat asked James as they walked to the library. As end of term got closer, all their classes got harder. If Cat thought Transfiguration was hard before, she didn't know what to call it now. They had progressed from turning tiny hedgehogs into pin cushions to turning large dogs into chairs. Cat didn't know anyone who liked her mother's class. James had decided to take up the position as her tutor for that class. No one had asked him to, Cat always accused him of liking the charity work.

"Oh you know," James said, looking down at Cat. "Nothing like cleaning trophies for two hours." Cat looked up at him and nodded. He looked forward and continued "I reckon in twenty years or so, there will be a student cleaning my very own trophy."

"Really," Cat said, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. James looked at her and gave a nod. "What for then?"

"Quidditch, maybe, or top of the class in every subject," James said.

"I bet I could get a Quidditch trophy before you," Cat said.

"No way. If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't have gotten most of our points"

"If it wasn't for me, the games wouldn't end."

"That's fair, we haven't lost yet this year. How about this, 'James Potter and Catriona Mcgonagall, best Chaser and Seeker in Hogwarts history'" James said, waving his hands in the air as if he was showcasing something.

"Sounds pretty cool" Cat said as they finally got to the library.

"My future kid is going to have a great legacy," James said, sitting at one of the tables.

"Calm down there James. If you keep talking like this, your ego is going to explode," Cat said, taking the seat next to him.

"Oi, my ego is perfectly tamed."

❏❏❏

"James," Cat said suddenly. 

"What is it?" he asked, opening his eyes. At some point, while Cat was doing research, James had fallen asleep, propped up by his hands.

"Isn't it a full moon tonight," Cat asked and James nodded tiredly. "It's 5:30, you should be with Remus now."

James perked up and quickly turned to face the large clock on the wall. "Shit" he muttered under her breath as he shoveled all his books into his bag. Once he got to the door he turned back around. "Cat?"

"Yeah?" she said, turning to face him.

"Do you want to come?" For a second Cat thought about going, but decided against it. She shook her head at James. "Are you sure?" 

"Yeah I'm sure. Now go, I'll see you tomorrow," she said. James gave her a smile before turning around the corner and leaving. Cat sighed and turned back to her work. She did want to go, but she was afraid that something might happen with her transformation. She wanted to run through the forest lit by the moonlight with him Sirius, Remus, and even Peter. She wanted to stay here and keep studying with James all night. She wanted to keep hanging out with him. What was James Potter doing to her.

❏❏❏

NOVEMBER 8th 1975

Catriona made her way to the hospital wing the next morning. When she got there, Sirius, James, and Peter were leaning against the wall. Peter's eyes were closed and he looked like he was fast asleep. James and Sirius had their's open, staring at the ceiling. "There you are" Sirius said, looking over at Cat walking up to them.

"Were you guys waiting for me?" she asked as she approached them.

"No" Peter said, eyes still closed. "Madam Pomfrey won't let us in."

"Is he alright," Cat whispered to James.

"He's just tired, we all are," James said as he stifled a yawn.

"Have you guys not gone to bed? It's 10:30, the moon would've gone down at 6," she said.

"We just want to see how Moony's doing first," Sirius said.

"He had a...nasty night," James said, as the door opened and Madam Pomfrey walked out. Sirius stood up straight off the wall and walked in first, followed by James, Cat, and Peter.

Remus was laying in a small bed, closest to Madam Pomfrey's office. He had a large bandage over his chest and one on his arm. "Remus, are you okay?" Cat asked, sitting on the edge of his bed. 

"I'll be alright" he said with a raspy voice. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

Cat turned to James and Sirius, who were sitting on the chairs closest to the bed, and asked "What happened?"

"We were just running and we heard this howl," Sirius said. "Like another werewolf."

"Moony started to run for it so we tried to stop him," James explained. "Padfoot bit his arm to try to stop him, but he just threw him away."

"Did you get hurt," Cat asked, turning to Sirius.

"Nah, just a bruise. Nothing like I haven't gotten before," he said. Cat looked at him skeptically before dropping it, it was probably nothing.

"What about his torso, that doesn't look like bite marks," Cat said, turning back to look at Remus.

"Prongs tried to stop him with his antlers," Peter spoke up. "It didn't work and Moony kept running for the howl."

"We knew we wouldn't be able to stop him, so we just followed." James said. "We followed him to Hogsmede but before he went in, he turned around and started running for the shack."

"Like Moony was coming back into control, knowing he was about to change." Sirius said. They sat and talked until the three boys fell asleep. Cat pulled out her book from her bag and started reading.

"Cat?" Remus said, once he woke up about 2 hours later. "What are you reading?"

Cat closed her book and lifted it up to show him the cover. "Little Women" she said.

"Look who's awake," Sirus said waking up. He lightly jabbed James in the ribs with his elbow to wake him up.

"Moony's back to the land of the living," James said, grabbing Remus' shoulder. "What time is it?"

"Lunch should be starting right about now," Cat said, turning around to look at the large clock on the other side of the room.

"I could go for a nice sandwich, and we all know Moony is always hungry," Sirius teased. Remus, now sitting, kicked him in the shins before standing up.

"Shall we?" he said. The four of them started walking out. Cat stopped at the end of the bed where Peter was still fast asleep.

"Peter," she said, trying to nudge him awake.

"Hm?" he said, shooting his head up.

"We're heading to lunch, would you like to join?"

"Oh, I'll meet you guys down there," he said, laying his head back down. "I need a few more minutes." Cat laughed to herself as she imagined Madam Pomfrey coming in and kicking a half asleep Peter out of the room. She caught up with James, Remus, and Sirius and continued making their way to The Great Hall.


	11. Chapter 11

NOVEMBER 12th 1975

SITTING in front of the fire, Cat slammed her forehead down onto her books in frustration. Her, James, Remus, Sirius and Peter, were studying, Rachel was taking a nap and Lily had her prefect duties. No one knew where Marlene had been. Catriona was working on her Care of Magical Creatures work, getting frustrated while trying to figure out how to take care of skrewts. "Remus," Cat said, head still on her books. "How are you so good at Care of Magical Creatures? I can never remember anything Professor Leron says." Cat finally lifted her head up to look at the others.

"It's because he is a magical creature," Sirius said, not missing a beat.

Remus laughed and shook his head, "Good memory I guess." Cat returned to laying her head down and closing her eyes.

As she was about to fall asleep Sirius yelled, "Shit, Wormtail, what did you do that for?"

Cat looked up and saw Sirius taking off his shirt, which was in flames. Spred across his ribs, was a large, yellowing bruise. "What is that?"

"This? It's nothing" he said. 

"It doesn't look like nothing," Cat said, standing up to look at it.

"I'm fine, see," he said, poking the bruise. "Doesn't even hurt anymore."

"That doesn't mean it's healed," she said. Cat pointed her wand at the bruise, said an incantation, and the bruise was gone.

"What was that?" Remus asked, looking amazed.

"A healing spell."

"Where'd you learn it?" James asked.

"Madam Pomfrey has been teaching me and a few other people how to become Healer's," Cat explained. "I'm thinking about becoming one after we graduate."

"That'll be good," Sirius said. "You know with all the mysterious attackings." Cat took a deep breath at the mention of the attacks. There were people learning and practicing the dark arts, presumably under one 'Dark Lord'. There have been many attacks on innocent muggle family's around London within the past six months. The first Cat ever heard of them, her mother had to rush to the ministry during summer. 

"What are you thinking about doing?" she asked the boys, trying to get her mind off of the so called war.

She was set right back onto the topic when James said, "I plan on fighting in the war."

"You're what?" Cat said.

"I plan on helping Dumbledore. There have been many attacks and the good side will need all the help they can get," James explained.

"Maybe I'll join, you know, to annoy dear old mum and dad," Sirius said. Almost everyone knew the Black family as one of the darkest families, they were one of them that aggressively believed in Pureblood supremecy.

"It sounds like the right thing to do," Remus said. Cat didn't know what to think. Yeah there were attacks, but that didn't mean a full blown war was going to happen, right? She doubted Dumbledore would want a bunch of newly graduated wizards to fight a war when there were plenty of older witches and wizards that would be more than happy to join.

"Well if you guys are joining, I might as well join too," Peter said. "They need all the wizards they can get to win."

"Cat?" James turned and asked.

"I don't know yet," she said. "We have two years to decide what we want to do with our lives."

❏❏❏

NOVEMBER 28th 1975

As the end of the term grew closer, the temperature dropped drastically. The student's attire went from jumpers and robes to jumpers, robes, and long coats. None of this stopped Cat from exploring the grounds, she had recently took up reading under a great oak tree outside the large castle. She was finishing up the last chapter of her book when the sunlight was blocked. Cat took her eyes off her book and looked up at the person standing over her "Marlene!" Cat exclaimed, a smile appearing across her mouth.

"What are you doing out here, its freezing," Marlene said, pulling her coat tighter around her.

"I get used to it easily," Cat said, patting the place next to her for Marlene to join. Reluctantly, she sat down in the spot.

"Woah," Marlene said, instantly getting warmer.

"Warming charm," Cat said, motioning towards her wand laying in between them. "So, what did you come out here for?" Catriona pulled her knees up to her chest and faced her blonde friend.

"I was bored and-" Marlene was cut off by Cat finishing her sentence.

"Rachel and Lily are bickering again."

Marlene giggled and said, "What's new. Anyways, would you like to have the honor of coming with me to Hogsmeade?"

"I'd love to," Cat said, placing her hands over her heart. The two girls laughed as Cat stuffed her things into her bag. Marlene, already standing, put her hand out to help Cat up. Cat took it and they started walking down the hill to Hogsmeade.

❏❏❏

After the long trudge to the village, the first shop they stopped in was Gladrags Wizardwear. "Oh my," Cat said once she saw the socks that screamed when they got too smelly. "I might have to get these for a Chistmas present." Cat grabbed them off the shelf and inspected them.

"For what?" Marlene asked. She looked at her friend with wide, confused eyes.

"I was just kidding," Cat said, placing them back where they were. "Who would want those as a present."

"I don't know," Marlene said, raising one eyebrow. "I think one James Potter would love to get a present from you."

"Shove off, will you," Cat said, pushing Marlene away with her elbow while looking at the ground to hide her rose colored cheeks. "I will tell you for the second time now, James doesn't fancy me, he fancies Lily." Cat felt a twinge of sadness at the bottom of her heart. Or was it jealousy? Whatever she was feeling, Cat pushed it down. She didn't want to admit to herself she had felt some type of way towards James.

"You didn't say you don't fancy him," Marlene said. Cat raised her eyebrows and Marlene's eyes lit up. "I knew it!"

"Now drop it," Cat said.

After looking at all the socks, Marlene and Cat tried on many different styles and colors of robes. The next place they stopped was Honeydukes, the famous sweet shop. Inside the small shop were tons of students, too many for the small building. Marlene and Catriona pushed their way through the crowd of students. They looked at all the candy along all the walls. There were Fizzing Whizbees, Chocolate Toads, Fudge Flies, Jelly Slugs, Cauldron Cakes, and much, much more wizard candy. 

Cat and Marlene exited the shop with two bags each, filled to the top with sweets. They pulled their coats tight around them and sat on a bench to empty their bags. "Are these good?" Marlene asked, holding up a box of Shock-O-Choc's.

"They are my favorite, I got like five of them," Cat said as she dug deep into her bag and pulled one out. "Be careful, though, they are very hot." Cat looked back up to Marlene who's eyes widened. She looked down to her lap and saw Marlene had dumped the whole box into her mouth. "Marlene!" Cat exclaimed while trying not to laugh. Marlene spit all the chocolates out onto the ground while Catriona doubled over in laughter.

"Hello ladies," a non-familiar voice said. Cat looked up and saw two, sixth year Hufflepuffs standing infront of them.

"Hi," Marlene coughed out.

"Are you alright?" one of them said, sitting next to Marlene.

"Yeah," Marlene said with a raspy voice before coughing again. "Perfectly fine." 

Cat barely stopped laughing before asking, "What's your guys names?"

"Oh sorry," the one still standing said. "I'm Oliver and this," he gestured to the other boy, who was giving Marlene his water, "is George."

"I'm Catriona," she said, standing up. "And that is my friend Marlene" Cat giggled as she looked back at her friend who's face now had turned a bright shade of red from coughing.

"Is she okay?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, she just ate a whole box of Shock-O-Choc's," Cat said. Oliver looked at her with wide eyes.

"Let's go to The Three Broomsticks," George said, standing up. "She needs a little more to drink to get rid of the spice." Marlene stood up, face not as red, but her cheeks were still bright crimson from blushing. George and Oliver walked ahead of them, leaving Marlene to talk to Cat.

"That's so embarrassing," Marlene whispered to Cat so the boys wouldn't hear. She put her head in her hands and shook it.

"It wasn't that embarrassing," Cat said. "At least you got your knight in shining armer." Cat nodded to George in front of them.

"He is cute, isn't he," Marlene said. Cat raised her eyebrows and nodded. "Hey, James wouldn't like that."

"Would you stop with that," Cat said as they walked through the door being held open by George. 

Cat smiled at him as a thanks and Marlene said, "How kind, thank you."

The four of them walked in and sat down at an open table in the back corner. "So, why were you so vigorously coughing back there," George asked. Marlene and Cat looked at eachother before Marlene started telling the story.

After explaining, Oliver leaned over and whispered, "Those boys over there keep staring at you, do you know who they are?" Cat and Marlene looked across the room and saw James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter staring at them. Once the four saw them looking, they turned their heads back around and continued their converstion.

"Yeah," Cat laughed. "They're our friends."

"Just aren't used to seeing us with anyone else but them," Marlene said, rolling her eyes. Marlene, Catriona, George, and Oliver talked for another hour about school and anything else that came to mind

"What's their deal? Do they need something?" George asked, glaring at the table with Marlene and Cat's friends.

"I'll be right back," Cat sighed before getting up.


	12. Chapter 12

NOVEMBER 28 1975

CAT pulled a chair over from another table, and sat down next to Peter and James. "It's not nice to stare, you know," she said, looking at all four boys.

"Who are those boys?" Remus asked.

"What were you doing with them?" Sirius asked.

"Where did you meet them?" Peter asked.

"Are they better company then us?" James asked.

"They are sixth year Hufflepuffs, they offered to buy us a drink, Honeydukes, and they're kinda boring but their nice, Marlene seems to like them," Cat said, pointing to each of them once she answered their question. "Now, what's with your staring."

"We-er-we were just...confused," Sirius said.

"We've never seen those boys before," Remus said.

"Yeah...yeah we just were confused," James said.

"Are you sure you weren't jealous that Cat here wasn't spending time with you lot," Marlene said, walking over. "They left, said they had schoolwork to do" she said, now addressing Cat. She moved her seat over so Marlene had room to pull over a chair. "Looks like we are stuck with you." Marlene put her head in her hands, resting on the table.

❏❏❏

DECEMBER 15th 1975

Now that December has started, the castle was beautiful. Tinsel and boughs of holly were hung around the corridors. There was a Christmas tree in just about every classroom, but none of them as big and beautiful as the one in the Great Hall. Cat was mindlessly walking through the castle, looking at all the decorations, when she ran into someone. "Sorry," she said, trying to move around them.

"Cat, what are you doing?" Cat looked up and matched the voice with James Potter. Since the trip to Hogsmeade, when she subtly told Marlene how she felt about James, her feelings came flooding in. She really liked him. 

"I was just looking at the decorations," she said, looking around.

"They are pretty, aren't they," James said, looking at Cat, who was still looking around.

"What were you doing?" Cat asked as she faced James.

"I was looking for you actually," James said, running his fingers through his messy hair. "I-er-need help on my Potions essay."

"And you came to me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Lily is much better at Potions than I am."

"Maybe," he said. "But she's too harsh and gets annoyed easily."

"Aw, did you get your feelings hurt," Cat answered in a baby voice.

"No, now come on," he said, dragging her towards the library. "This essay is due tomorrow."

❏❏❏

DECEMBER 18th, 1975

"So you're staying here for Christmas," Marlene confirmed. 

"Yes, my mum stays so that means I have to stay," Cat said. Rachel, Marlene, and Cat were sitting by the fire, drinking tea late one night. Marlene was going back home to spend Christmas with her family while Rachel and Cat were staying at Hogwarts.

"Thank Merlin I'm not the only one staying," Rachel said. "I don't think I'd be able to deal with the silence." The portrait door opened and James, Sirius, and Remus walked in, laughing. Once they saw the girls looking back at them they stopped, looking like three deer in headlights. 

"What are you three up too," Cat said, sipping her tea. It was after curfew so the only thing they could be doing was what they do best, causing mischief. 

"We were just..." James trailed off, rubbing the back of his head.

"We were just doing some pure mindless vandalism," Sirius said.

"Ahhh, nothing better than vandalism," Marlene said, pouring another cup of tea.

"What are you guys doing for Christmas?" Rachel asked as the boys made there way over to the couches. James took a spot next to Cat, while Sirius and Remus took two armchairs.

"Christmas at the Potters, best Christmas tradition," Remus said, happily.

"Sounds fun," Cat said, grabbing a blanket. James grabbed the bottom of the blanket and put it over his legs.

"It is," Peter said, coming down the stairs that lead to the dorm room. "We play quidditch in the snow and Mrs. Potter makes the best mince pies." The seven talked about their plans for christmas, the famous Potter Christmas's, and, like always, James talked about quidditch.

At some point Cat fell asleep because when she woke up, she was still in the common room. James had also fallen asleep next to her, Marlene on the floor. Cat looked up at the clock and saw it was twenty minutes until classes started and Marlene needed at least thirty. She got off the couch and went over to Marlene, nudging her awake. "Classes are in twenty minutes, you might want to start getting ready," Cat whispered. Marlene sat up and shot up to the dorm without saying a word.

"Did I fall asleep here?" James asked from the couch with a raspy morning voice.

"You, me and Marlene did," Cat said, sitting back down on the couch.

"Are you really staying here for the holiday's?" James asked, looking over at Cat.

"Well since my mom stays, I kind of have to," Cat said, looking into the fire.

"You could come to mine," James said a few moments later. "You know, with me Padfoot, Moony and Pete."

"I don't want to interfere with your Christmas, I'd feel like I was intruding," Cat said.

"Come on, you won't be intruding. My parents know who you are," James said.

Catriona processed what James said, then asked "Did you tell your parents about me?"

"What? What do you mean?" James said, awkwardly. He pushed his glasses up and nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"I am honored that Mr. and Mrs. Potter know I exist," Cat said, jokingly, as she patted his shoulder. "I'll see you in Potions." As Cat walked up the stairs. she thought about how James had told his parents about her. She entered her room with a smile, that Marlene obviously saw.

"Someone looks smitten," she said.

"Hm?" Cat said, snapping out of her thoughts. "Nothing."

Marlene looked around the dorm to make sure their roommates were gone and said, "I know you like him, Cat, you don't need to hide it."

"Fine," Cat said, walking over to her bed to grab her robes from her wardrobe. "I think he told his parents about me."

"He did? How do you know?" Marlene asked, following Cat to the bathroom, before she closed the door on her.

"He asked me to spend Christmas at his house and said that his parents know who I am."

"He invited you to Christmas?" Marlene exclaimed. Cat opened the door with her uniform on and nodded her head. "Are you going?"

"I don't think so. I feel like I'm intruding."

"I don't think you know the meaning of being invited somewhere. He wants you to come, that's not intruding."

"He was probably being nice."

"Rachel and Lily are both staying here for the holiday and he didn't invite them. He's never even invited Lily, and he's been pinning after her for five years." Cat grabbed her bags and her and Marlene headed out of the room.

❏❏❏

"You what?" Peter asked James in their dorm.

"I may have invited her for Christmas," James said, awkwardly.

"What did she say?" Remus asked from his bed.

"She felt like she was intruding."

"Which is when you said that your parents know about her," Sirius clarified, recieving a nod from James.

"Why'd you invite her?"Peter asked. 

James shrugged and said "I don't know, I just did."

"You chased after Lily for five years and never invited her to Christmas," Remus said.

"Yeah mate, whats new," Sirius asked, fixing his hair in the mirror.

"I don't know," James said, raising his shoulders. "I wanted to I guess."

"Is she coming?" Peter asked.

"She didn't say," James said.

"I think it'll be fun if she does," Remus said. Sirius, James, and Peter looked at him. "What? We have more in common with Cat than any other girl you've fancied, especially Lily."

"I don't fancy Cat." James said, standing up from his bed.

Sirius and Remus looked at eachother with a knowing look before Sirius said, "Yes you do."

"Wormtail, do you think I do?" James asked. Peter looked from James to Sirius and Remus and back to James before nodding. "Why? I treat her like any other friend I have."

"No you don't mate. You treat her as if she's special," Remus said.

"I don't see you sharing a blanket with any of us," Sirius said with a raised eyebrow.

"That's because you guys are dudes," James said, crossing his arms.

"Fine, I don't see you sharing a blanket with Mckinnon." Sirius said.

"Or tutoring any of us 'just because'" Peter said, putting air quotes around just because.

"None of you struggle in any classes," James said.

"Were you there when Wormtail set Sirius' shirt on fire?" Remus asked. He turned to Peter and said "No offense." 

James sat in silence, thinking, for a few moments before saying "Cat is just a friend," and walking out of their dorm.


	13. Chapter 13

DECEMBER 21st 1975

"YOU better write to me everyday" Marlene said as she hugged Cat at the train station.

"You'll be back in two weeks, we'll survive," Cat said, laughing.

"That doesn't matter," Marlene said, pulling out of the hug. "I'm still writing."

"Alright," Cat agreed. 

She turned around to head back to the castle as Marlene got on the train when she was ambushed by her four other friends. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter hugged her all at once. "You guys too?" she said. "You'll be back in two weeks."

"But it won't be the same without you, it's going to be so boring," Sirius said.

"Oi, we're still going to be there," Remus said to Sirius.

"You are coming on boxing day, right?" James asked.

"I don't know yet," Cat said.

"Come on Cat, it'll be fun," Peter said.

"Yeah, we'll even spend new years together," James said.

"Even if I do go, how will I get there?" Cat asked, crossing her arms.

"We have our ways," Remus said. Sirius and James winked at her simultainiously.

Cat laughed and rolled her eyes. "Go on now, you'll miss the train."

❏❏❏

DECEMBER 22nd 1975

Cat,

WHY HAVEN'T YOU WROTE TO ME YET! I THOUGHT I MADE IT CLEAR THAT YOU WERE TO OWL ME EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I will never forgive you for this. Anyways, I hope you are having an awful time without me cause I know I'm your only source of fun. WRITE ME BACK IMMEDIATELY.

Marlene

❏❏❏

Marlene,

It is 9 am, YOU LEFT YESTERDAY. I didn't know you expected a letter every hour, I will do better. And yes, I am having a dreadful time without you. It's only been one day and I already have hungout with those Hufflepuffs from Hogsmeade, awful time.

Cat

❏❏❏

Hi Cat,

I hope you know you are coming for boxing day, even if you don't want to. Remus, Sirius, Peter, and I have already come up with a plan. Be ready.

James

❏❏❏

James,

I don't trust any plan that you four come up with (besides Remus maybe) and this is coming from the girl who jumped out of a window to avoid detention.

Cat

❏❏❏

DECEMBER 23rd 1975

CAT,

SAVE ME!

MY PARENTS ARE DRIVING ME MAD!

MY MUM WON'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS WAR!

MY DAD KEEPS BUGGERING ME ABOUT GEORGE!

MARLENE

❏❏❏

Marlene

I'm sure you're fine. Everyone is talking about the war. I know it's a big deal but can we not talk about it for a little bit. And isn't that what dad's are supposed to do? Bug their daughters about their boyfriends. I wouldn't know.

Cat

❏❏❏

Cat

You better be coming on boxing day. Peter's mum won't let him come over anymore so I've been stuck with these tossers. They are driving me insane. I need someone normal to talk too. Anyways, how's Christmas at Hogwarts? I haven't stayed there over the holiday since first year.

Remus

❏❏❏

Remus,

Honestly, I don't know how you deal living in the same dorm with them. I can barely handle them just being in the same house. Christmas is fun here. Lily isn't much fun though, she just wants to study for the exams. Me and Rachel are having fun though, we went ice-skating on the black lake.

Cat

❏❏❏

DECEMBER 25th 1975

Cat

Merry Christmas! I hope you have a great day! Mine isn't too good. Mum hasn't let me out of the house since the 22nd.

Peter

❏❏❏

Peter

Thanks Peter, I hope your Christmas gets better!

Cat

❏❏❏

Cat

We are coming to kidnap you tomorrow, just thought I should warn you so you're ready. I'm not telling you how though. Oh and Merry Christmas.

Sirius

❏❏❏

Marlene

I will be going to the Potter's tomorrow, so write your letters there.

Cat

❏❏❏

DECEMBER 26th 1975

Cat woke up on Boxing Day to a freezing room. She looked over to the window and saw Rachel sleeping on the sill with the window open. Cat and Rachel had an amazing Christmas. They built snowmen, had snowball fights with other houses, and went ice-skating. What Cat was most curious about was what James, Sirius, and Remus were planning to do. Sirius said they were coming here to pick her up, but she had no clue how, or what to bring. But before any of this could happen, she had to visit her mom's office. Cat got there and pushed her door open without knocking. "Catriona," her mother said, gleefully once she saw her daughter walk in. "What brings you down here?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving today," Cat said, sitting down in a chair on the opposite side of her mothers desk.

"Leaving? To go where?"

"The...er...Potters," Cat said, awkwardly. Her mother acted weird when she knew Cat and James had done an early morning Quidditch practice. Cat had no idea how she was going to act when telling her she was going to his house. 

She thought of everything, everything except what her mom had said "Okay, how are you getting there?"

Cat stood, surprised for a moment, "I can go? I thought you would've started a fight or something."

"You are responsible enough to not do anything stupid" her mom said, peering over the top of her glasses.

"Nothing, I'm just going over there for the new year, I'll be back with everyone else on the Hogwarts express."

"How will you be getting there?"

"That is what I don't know, they won't tell me."

"Just be safe, please"

"I will," Cat said, leaning over to give her mom a kiss of the cheek. "Bye" she waved before she closed the door.

❏❏❏

"James?" Cat asked when she got back to the common room, surprised to see James Potter sitting on the red cushioned sofa.

"Hey," he said, standing up.

"What are you doing here?"

"Coming to pick you up of course."

"Where are the others?"

"Remus isn't a great flyer and-"

"Flyer? How are we getting back to your house?" James stepped aside to show two broomsticks that were laying on the floor.

"You flew all the way here? Where do you live?"

"West Country"

"Oh wow, and you flew all the way here?"

"Yes now lets go." James laughed at the girl's amusement and handed her the broom.

"You never told me where Sirius went," Cat pointed out.

"You cut me off before I could tell you. Anyways, he got called home" James said quietly.

"Home? That can't be good," Cat said. James shook his head before they took off.

❏❏❏

Around an hour later, they touched ground outside a rather large house. Cat knew that the Potter's were wealthy but not this wealthy. "Home sweet home," James said, climbing off his broom.

"This is a beautiful house," Cat said in awe. James laughed as they walked through the lawn. They were met by James' parents on the large porch.

"Hello dear," his mother said. 

"Hello," Cat said. She stuck her hand out and grabbed the hand of his mothers that she had put out for a handshake.

"I'm Euphemia and this is my husband Fleamont," she said, motioning towards the older man standing next to her.

"Hi," Cat said, now shaking hands with his dad. "I'm Catriona, but you can call me Cat." After the introductions were done, Cat was taken inside. The house was more beautiful on the inside than on the outside. Euphemia, Fleamont, and James walked through the sitting room, into the kitchen. Cat was following, but at a slower pace because she was admiring all the beautiful Christmas decorations. She was looking at the tinsel, the wreaths, the tree, the-

Cat's gaze was brought right to the fire place when it flashed up green. Out of the flames, fell Sirius Black. He caught himself, barely, before turning to Cat and saying "Cat?"

"Sirius?" Cat asked. She was taking in the state he was in. His hair was messy and his clothes were wrinkled then at his leg, "Sirius are you bleeding?" But before he could answer, Sirius passed out and smashed against the floor with a loud bang. "James!"


	14. Chapter 14

DECEMBER 26th 1975

JAMES and his parents ran into the sitting room to see Sirius laying on the ground, unconscious. "What happened?" Euphemia said, rushing to his side along with Fleamont.

"I don't know," Cat said with tears stinging her eyes. "He just fell out of the fireplace." Cat looked up at James and saw him staring at Sirius. His eyes flicked to hers and Cat saw tears in his eyes. James looked back at Sirius for a second before leaving the room. Cat looked back at his parents who were tending to Sirius, then left after James.

Cat entered the kitchen and saw James leaning against the counter. "James," Cat said. James turned around and looked at Cat. "Are you alright?"

"Me? Yeah I'm fine. It's only my bestfriend who is unconscious, bleeding on my floor," he snapped. "Sorry I didn't mean to snap at you."

"He'll be okay," Cat said, placing a hand on his arm.

"We don't know that," James said. "We don't know what his parents could've done, they are horrible." Tears threatened to fall out of James' eyes. Cat wrapped her arms around James' neck, pulling him into a hug.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked, coming into the room.

Cat turned around and looked at him. "Sirius, he's back."

"Where?"

"He, uh, isn't in a place for conversation," James said. James explained how Sirius entered the room and how he was unconsious.

"He's awake," James' dad said, peeking into the kitchen. The three went into the room and saw Sirius sitting up on the sofa with his leg covered with bandages.

"You alright mate?" James asked, standing infront of him.

"Perfectly fine," Sirius said. "Just passed out from the journey over." Sirius had a smile across his face, but it wasn't a real one.

"What about the bandages?" Remus asked from the spot on the sofa next to Sirius.

"A little scratch, nothing to fuss over," he said, looking at Cat. Cat knew he didn't pass out from the journey. When he came through he was panting and looked very disheveled, not very Sirius Black looking. If he didn't want to tell them what happened, he didn't need to. "I am knackered." He said, yawning.

"Let's get you to your room," Mrs. Potter said. "Boys, why don't you two take him up." She was now adressing just Remus and James. 

The three boys started walking out of the room before Sirius turned around and asked, "Cat, you coming?"

"Right, yeah," Cat said, following them out of the room. The four walked up the stairs in silence.

"Well, come in you lot," Sirius said, he was the only one that walked in.

"Don't you need sleep?" Cat asked as Remus and James walked over and sat on Sirius' bed with him.

"No, I need to tell you what actually happened," Sirius said, waving her over. Cat shut the door and went to sit on bed next to the three..

"Shouldn't you be telling this to anyone else? Like Dumbledore maybe, or James' parents," Remus said before Sirius started to explain.

"Not yet," Sirius said. 

❏❏❏

"Now you definitely have to tell Dumbledore," Cat said after Sirius was finished. He had explained how his parents tried to recruit him for their side. Walburga and Orion Black were awful parents, let alone people, but James, Remus, and Cat didn't know they would go as far as torturing their own son to join the Death Eaters.

"Dumbledore should know if his own students are Death Eaters," James said, trying to convince Sirius.

Sirius thought for a minute before saying, "Maybe you're right, but for today can we just, leave it be?"

"Yeah mate, you deserve one day to relax," Remus said. The rest of the day was mostly spent sitting on Sirius' bed, talking about their Christmas and what they wanted to do in the new year. Around dinner time, Cat got a letter from Marlene.

Cat,

So you decided to go? I bet you're having loads of fun there. Is it everything they talked it up to be? My holiday has gotten better, my brother got back from America the other day.

Marlene

Cat read the letter and thought about if she should tell her what happened. Cat decided against it and wrote:

Marlene.

It is definitely fun here. And yes, it is everything how the boys explained it. I'm glad your holiday got better. I'll see you in a week!

Cat

❏❏❏

DECEMBER 27th 1975

Dumbledore arrived at the Potters at lunch time the next day. Sirius decided to tell Mr. Potter what had actually happened. "Hello Euphemia, Fleamont," Dumbledore greeted them as he walked through the door. "What was it that you needed to talk about?"

Fleamont led Dumbledore into the sitting room where Sirius was sitting on the couch. Sirius had insisted the other four stay, so they leaned against the wall in the back of the room. "Sirius dear, why don't you explain," Euphemia said with a warm smile. Sirius nodded and explained what he told Cat, James, and Remus the night before.

"Thank you for telling me Mr. Black," Dumbledore said.

"We thought you might have wanted to know if your own students were planning on fighting for The Dark Lord," Sirius said. 

Dumbledore nodded and gave Sirius a smile. "If you don't mind, I'd like to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Potter privately," Dumbledore said politely, now adressing the four in the back.

"Of course," Cat said. The five of them walked out and sat down at the dining room table while James made some tea.

"You guys know I wouldn't join them, right? Even though they are my family," Sirius eventually said.

"Of course, mate," James said, handing him a cup of tea.

"Let's get off the subject of the war," Remus suggested.

❏❏❏

DECEMBER 31st 1975

The Potters had an extravagent party to ring in the new year. There were at least 70 people in their large home, which didn't seem to feel any smaller no matter how many people showed up. The Pettigrews ended up coming, so Peter, James, Sirius, Remus, and Catriona went to the back garden to get some fresh air. "So," Cat said, hovering a few feet off the ground on one of James' old brooms. "What are you guys planning for the new year?"

Remus looked up at her from the lounge chair he was sitting in and said, "What do you mean?"

"You know, like what is a goal you are setting for yourself this year," Cat said.

"Get better at Charms, definitely," Peter said. 

"Good one," Sirius said, flying down with James from the height they were at. "I don't need you setting one of my shirts on fire again."

"What about you Padfoot, what is something you'd like," Remus asked.

"Getting Beater again, can't let a scrawny little third year beat me," Sirius said.

"Prongs?" Peter asked.

"I don't have any. I've reached all my goals," he said, landing his broom.

"Except getting Evans," Sirius said. "Maybe '76 will be your lucky year."

"Eh, I've chased her for far too long," James said. "It's time I slow down and wait for a girl to come after me." Remus and Sirius looked at one another with surprised faces.

"Given up on love, haven't we?" Remus asked, teasingly.

"It's not love if the other person doesn't feel the same way. It's like an obsession. Take Snivellus for example," James nonchalantly said. This earned a few laughs from the other four, as Snivellus jokes always do.

"What about you, Cat," Remus said.

"Probably the same as James, no goals," she said. "Just...make them up on the way." Just then, the sky bursted into color. Red, blue, orange, green, pink, and yellow fireworks lit up the dark night sky as the clocks chimed midnight.

"Cheers to '76," Remus said, mesmorized by the night sky.

"Cheers," the others said in sync.


	15. Chapter 15

JANUARY 2nd 1976

CATRIONA, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all climbed into a compartment on the Hogwarts express. Cat sat between Remus and the wall of the the train, across from Sirius, James, and Peter. As the train was about to pull out of the train station, Marlene joined them. "Move over would you Remus?" she asked Remus so she could sit next to Cat.

"How was your holiday," Cat asked.

"It was fine, not as fun as yours I bet."

"Our's was pretty fun," Sirius said.

"What made you change your mind about going," Marlene turned and asked Cat.

Before she could answer, James asnwered for her, "She had no choice, I kidnapped her."

"Oh you did, didn't you."

"We flew all the way back to his house from here on brooms," Cat explained. "It was a bit exhausting."

"How? You're sitting down the entire time," Remus pointed out.

"You never will get flying, will you Moony," Sirius said. Remus shooked his head and leaned up against the wall.

By the time the train ride was over, Marlene had explained her whole Christmas, in detail, so did Sirius. There was snow covering the castle grounds as they walked up the hill to get inside. The group of six walked into the Great Hall to join the others for the feast. "Welcome back from your holiday break! I hope you all enjoyed your time at home with your families. Let the feast begin!" Dumbledore bellowed. The normal Hogwarts feast appeared on all the tables and Cat stared eating.

❏❏❏

JANUARY 3rd 1976

The first class of the day was Care of Magical Creatures with the Hufflepuffs. "Moony, we're partners now," Sirius said when the professor told the class to partner up. Marlene went to be with George and Cat was with James.

"Hey partner," he said, walking over to the Porlock that they had to take care of.

"Hi," Cat said with a smile.

"What do we have to do with this....thing," James said, looking at the red and tan creature in the cage in front of them.

"Professor Stiles said we have to take care of it for two weeks. You know, like feed it and play with it. So basically, its our kid," Cat explained.

"You better not kill James Jr." James said pointing at her.

"You already named it? What kind of name is James Jr?" Cat asked.

"The best kind of name, it's mine."

"What about..." Cat paused, "... anything else."

"Nope, James Jr. has a special place in my heart now."

Cat laughed at him and said, "Whatever, it still sucks."

"Professor Stiles!" James called the professor over.

"Yes, Mr. Potter."

"Me and my partner here," he said, gesturing to Cat, "have a question."

"Go on."

"What do you think of the name James Jr?" Cat shook her head and put it in the palm of her hand.

"You do know Mr. Potter, that you don't need to name it."

"We know, I just figured if we are going to take care of it, it ought to have a name."

"Alright, but by the looks of it, Miss Mcgonagall doesn't seem to like it," Professor Stiles said, looking over at Cat who still had her head in her palm.

"No," James said, swatting Cat's hand from her head, making her look up. "She loves it."

"Oh I adore it," Cat said, sarcastically.

"Then I believe it shall do," the professor said before walking to another group.

"I knew it would grow on you," James said. He knelt down to feed James Jr. some of the directed food. "Come on, I'm not doing this alone," James pulled Cat down next to him.

James and Cat went over to Remus and Sirius at the end of the class. They were finishing cleaning up the food Sirius had spilled. "So...this looks like it's going well," Cat said.

"Oh it's going great," Sirius said, standing up and dusting off his hands.

"Sirius came up with an awful name," Remus said.

"Really? James named ours James Jr." Cat said.

"It fits him very well," James said, looking back at the cage James Jr. was in.

"Padfoot named ours Pady," Remus said.

Cat looked at James and said, "I love James Jr., don't change it to anything stupid like Pady"

"Hey," Sirius said, getting Cat's attention. "He can hear you." Remus and Cat laughed before turning up the hill.

❏❏❏

JANUARY 9th 1976

That night, Cat was with James, Peter, Remus, and Sirius around the fire. Peter and James were playing chess and Sirius and Remus, were having a heated converstaion about Quidditch while Cat listened. "I just don't get how you can say Quidditch is so physically draining when you're sitting down," Remus said, getting on Sirius' nerves.

"You don't get it Moony. I have to fly around and make sure Bludgers don't hit my dear friends," Sirius said, annoyed.

"But how is that draining, you just swing a bat," Remus pointed out.

"I'd like to see you do it," Sirius said. "Don't you think its hard, Cat."

"Don't ask me," Cat said. "I don't want to get pulled into your arguments. Besides, all I do sit there and look for a small ball."

"Good point," Sirius said, turning back to Remus. James came and sat down on the couch next to Catriona.

"Did you finish your game?" Cat asked.

"Yeah. I won, like always," James said.

"I don't even know how to play, I don't know how you win every time."

"I can teach you."

"I'm not in the mood for chess."

"Then...let's go see James Jr."

"Its past curfew, we would get caught."

"Not if we use my Invisibility cloak."

Cat shrugged and said, "Alright."

"Really?" James asked, surprised.

"Yeah, let's go. I'm tired of hearing Sirius try to convince Remus that Quidditch is draining," Cat said, standing up. James nodded and ran up to his dorm to get his cloak, almost knocking down Marlene in the process.

"Where is he off to?" Marlene asked Cat, looking back at the stairs.

"Going to get something," Cat said. "We are going to feed our Porlock."

"After hours?" Marlene asked. "Is it a date?"

"Yes, Marlene, we are going to feed a magical creature for a date," Cat said, sarcastically.

"It could be a date, take notes for the future," Marlene said, winking.

"No, that's never happening," Cat said.

"You're still in denial? Even after you spent New Years with him?"

"Sirius, Remus, and Peter were there too."

"Yes, but-"

"Sorry I took so long," James cut off Marlene. "Let's go." Cat and James headed out of the portrait hole before throwing the cloak on. The cloak was definitely not made to fit two fifth years under it, even though there was a good height difference. They walked in silence before taking the cloak off outside the castle. Cat fixed her hair as James folded up the invisible cloak. 

"Why did you want to come down here?" Cat asked, walking towards the Porlocks.

"I was bored," James said. "It's also a plus that the view of the castle from here is beautiful at night." Marlene was right, this could be a date. But it wasn't. It was just two friends who are coming down to feed their magical beast.

"Hello James Jr." Cat said, opening the cage up.

"I knew it would grow on you," James said, sitting on the ground next to her.

"It's better than Pady," Cat pointed out.

"Sirius doesn't have a creative bone in his body," James said, pouring a bit of food onto his hand for the Porlock to eat.

"Says that one who named ours after himself."

"Thats pretty creative if you ask me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i also have written a remus x oc story if you’d like to check that out on my page :)


	16. Chapter 16

FEBRUARY 14th 1976

MARLENE was in love with Valentine's day, Cat soon found out. She loved the love in the air and the beautiful decorations that filled the castle. She was especially happy to have a boyfriend to spend it with this year, George Malnney. They started dating not too long after the Hogsmeade trip, in which Marlene downed a whole box of Shock-O-Choc's.

Catriona on the other hand, loathed Valentine's day. She never liked all the pink and red everyone would wear, despite red being her house color. The decorations were too over the top for her liking. The castle was always filled with decorations during holidays. Lights were strung up during Christmas, a few floating pumpkins for Halloween, but whoever was on the deccorating comitee, loved Valentine's day. Pink and Red hearts were everywhere, the banners which were hung up in the Great Hall were now pictures of Cupid with his heart arrows.

She made her way down to the common room that morning to see Rachel and Peter sitting on the couch. The only person that didn't like today more than her, was Rachel. "Hey guys," she said, approaching them.

"Hi Cat," Peter said. 

"How are you?" Rachel asked.

"Fine," Cat shrugged. "I'm going to go down to breakfast, would you like to come?"

Rachel looked over to Peter before saying "No we're good, see you later."

"Alright," Cat said. "But keep it kid friendly up here." Cat pointed at the two. Peter had a look on his face that was a mixture between fright and surpised. Rachel and Peter have had a thing for a while now. They tried to keep it a secret but Rachel let it slip one day while Cat was helping her to bed after having a few too many cups of Firewhisky at a party. 

Cat entered the overly pink Great Hall and sat down at her normal spot at the table next to James and, normally, Peter. "Goodmorning," she greeted the three boys sitting there.

"Goodmorning Cat," Remus said, smiling.

"How are you on this lovely Sunday?" Sirius asked, also grinning.

"I'm fine," Cat shrugged.

"Biscuit?" James asked, smiling.

"No thanks," she said. "Are you guys alright?"

"Us? We are perfectly fine," Remus answered.

"Are you sure? You don't seem like it."

"What makes you think that?" Sirius asked, resting his chin on his hand.

"You're acting weird."

"No, we are just so happy it's Valentine's day," James said, making himself some toast. 

Cat rolled her eyes and picked up a biscuit from the table and threw it at Marlene kissing her boyfriend. "Some of us are trying to eat."

"Oh shove off. You're just mad you don't have anyone to spend today with," Marlene said.

"I could care less if I had someone," Cat said. Marlene and George stood up and walked out of the Great Hall.

"Hey look, posts here," Remus said, pointing to the mass of owls flying into the room. Cat glanced up then went back to her breakfast. She never got any post, seen as the only family she had was a professor. Except today, one of the school owls swooped down and dropped a bright red envelope infront of her. She picked it up and scrawled at the top was CAT MCGONAGALL in James' messy handwriting. Under it read from Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter.

"What the hell did you guys do?" Cat asked.

"Come on, you know what happens when you don't answer Howlers," James said, nudging her with his elbow. At this time, the enirety of the students in the Great Hall were waiting for her to open it. Everyone made sure to be quiet when someone was sent a Howler.

Cat reluctantly opened it. As she did, James' voice bellowed out "HAPPY VALENTINES DAY CAT! I HOPE YOUR LONELY DAY IS GREAT!" It stopped for a moment before Sirius' voice came through "WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU ADORE THIS DAY," then Remus' "SO WE WANTED TO SEND YOU A HEARTFELT LETTER! I HOPE YOU SPEND IT STUFFING YOUR FACE WITH CHOCOLATE!" Peter's voice came out next "DON'T STEAL ANY FROM REMUS THOUGH, HE WILL HEX YOU!" James' voice came out, finishing up the letter, "WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW RED YOUR FACE IS, AND HOW ANGRY YOU WILL BE SO WE WILL END IT HERE!" The letter burst into flames and the Great Hall resumed with all the chatter.

"And what was that for?"

"We knew you didn't have a valentine so we thought we would give you a letter," James said, putting a hand on her shoulder, mocking sympathy.

"You do realize that none of you have a valentine either," Cat said.

"Well...." Sirius started.

"We wanted to give you a gift," Remus said. "And no, we don't expect anything in return."

"I actually do have a present for you," Cat said. She turned around and rumaged through her bag and pulled out her wand. "There" Instantly, the three boys had bright pink hair and eyebrows.

"What did you do?" James asked, obliviously.

"James, our hair is pink," Remus said.

"My perfect hair is pink? How could you!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Think of it as a thank you, for that kind Howler."

❏❏❏

That night, there was a Quidditch match, Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. These games were the most hyped up for because the two houses were rivals. The Quidditch Cup was being handed out soon and in first place was Hufflepuff. Somehow they were in first, even though Gryffindor beat them everytime, but only by a few goals. Gryffindor was up 80-60 and they were entering the second hour of playing. This game was the dirtiest that Cat has ever been in. A few of the players on Slytherin got hit with nasty Bludgers from Sirius and Marlene. In return, some of Gryffindor got hit hard also. Cat had only spotted the Snitch a few times towards the beginning. She was looking out for it when Regulus started zooming towards the ground. Cat looked down and saw the Snitch on the field below her. She shot straight down and was nearing the Snitch when she got hit with a Bludger in the back of her head. She tumbled off her broom stick and fell to the ground from at least ten feet up. Once she hit the ground, Cat tried to sit up. The whole field was spinning and when she looked to where the Snitch was, Regulus was laying on the ground clutching his arm, he was also hit with a Bludger. "Cat!" she heard someone from above call out. She was starting to feel dizzy when she saw James flying towards her, with Marlene and Sirius behind her. 

The stadium kept spinning and Cat was starting to get dizzier and dizzier until she fell back onto the ground. "Cat are you alright?" James said, kneeling next to her. She looked at everyone around her. She could see their mouths moving, but nothing was coming out. Everything was getting dark, as if someone was slowly turning the lights off before everything went black.

Cat woke up a few hours later. She blinked hard a few times for everything to come into focus to realize she was in the hospital wing. Even though the curtains were drawn, letting no light in, Cat knew it was nighttime. The only noise was Madam Pomfrey's heels walking towards the end of the room. "You four may not come in," Cat heard her say. "She isn't awake yet."

"She has to be awake, it's been a few hours," Remus' voice came in.

"Let me go check." Cat heard her heels before they came to a stop again. "You four stay there."

"Come on Poppy- Madam Pomfrey," Sirius said. "We are her friends."

"Some would even say best friends," she heard Peter say. The sound of heels came closer to the curtains before they opened, letting all the light in.

"Hey Cat," James said. 

"I thought I told you to stay out there," Madam Pomfrey scolded.

"Well she's awake now," said James.

"Fine but not too long, it's nearly curfew."

"Are you okay?" Remus asked, sitting on one of the chairs.

"Never better," Cat responded, sitting up.

"That was a nasty Bludger to your head," Peter pointed out.

"Nice observation skills Pete," James teased.

"I saw Regulus got hit with one too. Is he okay?" Cat asked.

"Reg is fine," Sirius said. "He was out of here after 30 minutes."

"Lucky him," Cat said. "I reckon I'll have to stay in here over night."

"That you will," Madam Pomfrey said, coming next to the bed. "You four, out."

"But we just got here," James whined.

"Yes you did, now you will be leaving."

"See you tomorrow," James said in the middle of being swatted out by Madam Pomfrey.


	17. Chapter 17

MARCH 22nd 1976

DURING lunch, Cat and James decided to head to the library. OWL's were coming up and they both needed help in classes the other was great at. Cat was rubbish at Transfiguration, which James excelled in. James wasn't doing very good in Muggle Studies, opposite of Cat who loved the subject. "I don't understand how you're so good at Muggle Studies," James told her while trying to explain what a television was for an essay. "If anything ever goes wrong and we have to hide as Muggles, you'd be the first person I go to." Cat laughed at his compliment.

"I was fascinated with them when I was younger. I would always sneak out to the village by my house and explore all their stores and cafe's," Cat exclaimed. James was looking at her with a look of astonishment. "One time, when I didn't know much about Muggles, I was chased by the police - it's like their Department of Magical Law Enforcement - down at least a block for walking out of a boutique without paying."

"How did you escape? Don't they have, like, spells to fire at you?"

Cat laughed once again at his lack of Muggle knowledge. "They weren't wizards, James. They don't have wands, they have things like guns and batons to take you down. Anyways, I escaped by climbing up the fire escape of one of the buildings." James looked like he was thinking hard. "Fire escapes are something they use if there is a fire in their flat. They climb down them to get away if the door is blocked." Cat explained, knowing James' question.

"Alright, back to whatever a telvizon is," James said, getting them back on track.

"Right, I'll grab another book." Cat got up and walked to one side of the library which marked MUGGLE STUDIES. All the books down this aisle had books on subjects you would learn through Muggle Studies. 

She was searching the books marked "T" for the first letter when she heard someone come up to her. "Hello Catriona," he said. Cat turned and saw the seventh year Slytherin named Lucius Malfoy looking down at her. He was tall, a little taller Remus, James, and Sirius, so he had to look down to her.

"What do you want, Malfoy," she said, turning away to start walking down another aisle.

"I was wondering if you could help me," he said, speeding up his walk to get in front of her, causing her to stop walking. "I need help with this Potions essay and you seem to be here alone."

Cat rolled her eyes. "How about you go ask Snape, he's top in the class and in your own house. Besides, I am not alone." Cat walked around him, to continue to look for her book.

"Come on, you can ditch Potter for a little. You're with him all the time," Lucius whined. "We've never had one-on-one time."

"And that," Cat found the book and pulled it off the shelf before turning back to Lucius, "is because we aren't friends. I don't like you." Cat walked past him, back to James who had his head down on his parchment. Cat dropped the book on the table, making James sit right up. 

"Bloody hell, what took you so long?" James asked, opening the book. 

"Malfoy," Cat groaned.

"What did that git want," James asked.

"He just wanted me to ditch you and study with him."

"He isn't the brightest."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm your favorite, obviously, so you would never ditch me."

"Are you sure? 'Cause if Remus came in and asked me to study, I might just take up his offer." Cat was smacked in the arm by an offended James Potter.

❏❏❏

APRIL 1st 1976

Most of Hogwarts dreaded April 1st, as it was April fools day and The Marauders were planning on pranking each house three times throughout the day.

"How are you possibly going to prank all houses in one day," Cat asked the boys as they were walking back from breakfast. It was Saturday so they didn't have classes and the five took to walking around the castle instead of sitting in the common room.

"Three times, Cat," Sirius corrected. "We are going to do a prank three times per house, so we need your help." 

"Again, how are planning on doing that?" Cat repeated.

"It'll just take a while, nothing too bad," Peter informed.

"Potter," someone said from behind. The five turned around and saw Lily Evans standing there with her hands on her hips. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm not the only one here, Evans," James said.

"What's wrong Lily?" Cat asked.

"When these four are by Ravenclaw's common room, nothing good is going to happen," Lily said.

"It's Saturday Lily, we're just out for a simple stroll," Remus told her.

"Fine, but if anything bad happens, I know who to blame," she said before turning around.

"Back to before we were rudely interrupted," Sirius said as they all turned and started walking. "We have to think of what to do."

"Do you think we could use that journal of yours, Cat?" James turned and asked her.

"If there's something in there, yeah."

"Great!" Peter exclaimed. The boys stopped walking and all looked at Cat.

"You want me to get it now?" she asked.

"I mean..." Remus said. "If you don't mind. We have twelve pranks to do today."

"Wait here, I'll be back." Cat turned around and started for the Gryffindor common room.

❏❏❏

"What are you doing?" Marlene asked as she walked out of the bathroom of the girls dorm to see Cat loudly rumaging through her drawers.

"I'm trying to find my notebook. Can you help?" Cat turned and pleaded.

"What's it look like?" Marlene asked, squeezing her wet hair with a towel.

"It's tan and looks old, really old," Cat explained. "And it has these-" Cat was interupted by Marlene throwing something at her. "Where was it?" Cat picked up the old and tan notebook.

"Under your bed. You need to keep better watch of your things."

"You sound like Lily." Cat walked out of the room and rushed towards where the boys were waiting. It had taken her a while to find her notebook, so she was a bit later than she should've been.

She was walking past the Great Hall when she was stopped by Lucius Malfoy. "Hello Cat."

"Catriona," Cat corrected him while continuing walking.

"You're friends call you Cat, so I thought I would."

"I'll remind you, we aren't friends. It's still Catriona."

"What have you got there?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"Oh come on." Lucius grabbed her notebook out of her hands.

"Give it back, Malfoy," Cat said, reaching for it.

"I don't think I will," Lucius started flipping through the pages.

"If you don't give it back, I swear to Merlin I'll-"

"Cat! There you are!" Cat turned and saw James making his way towards her and Lucius. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. But if he doesn't give me my notebook back, I'm going to hex him," Cat said, glaring at Lucius.

"You're a feisty one, aren't ya," Lucius smirked.

"Give her the notebook," James told him.

"What's so special about this old notebook, doesn't look very amazing to me."

"That is none of your business. Let her have her notebook back."

"What are you going to do, Potter," Lucius spat. Cat looked up at James and saw the look on his face he had when he was going to do something to Snape.

"James, calm down," Cat said, placing a hand on his arm. James looked down to her and his features softened.

"You need your little girlfriend to calm you down, don't you Potter." James looked back at Lucius and without another thought, punched him across his face. Lucius was taken back by the punch, dropping Cat's journal. Cat quickly bent down to grab the book. When she stood back up, Lucius had his wand pointed at James.

"Alarte Ascendare" he yelled. Immedeatly, James was shot several feet into the air, only to fall back down with a loud bang.

"What the fuck, Malfoy," Cat shouted, running to James' side. Lucius started to laugh and walk away, back into the Great Hall. "James, James are you okay?" Cat lightly shook James to see if he was okay. He groaned in response. "Stay here. I-I'll be right back." Cat stood up and started running towards the Hospital wing to get Madam Pomfrey.


	18. Chapter 18

"GUESS that means no pranks then," Remus said, sitting in one of the chairs by James' bed. Madam Pomfrey was keeping him in the Hospital wing for the day. He had broken his leg, arm, and had gotten a concussion from the fall.

"What? Don't let my situation stop you from April Fools day," James said.

"It won't be the same without you, Prongs," Peter whined.

"Shut it you two," Sirius told them. "We've got Cat to take over his place this year." Sirius flung an arm over Cat's shoulder.

"I'm hurt Padfoot, and not just physically. I didn't know I was so replaceable," James sarcasticaly said.

"Don't worry Jamesy, you'll always be my number one," Sirius placed a hand over his heart. "I solemnly swear."

"Oi, get a room you two," Remus said, rolling his eyes.

"Don't be jealous Moony," James told him.

"You're right, I've got Cat," Remus remarked.

"What am I over here?" Peter wondered.

"The fifth wheel," Sirius joked. Peter scoffed and rolled his eyes, smiling.

"Don't worry, Pete. You've got Rachel," Cat told him.

Peter's eyes widened. "Rachel, eh?" Remus questioned

"Shove off," Peter said, embarassed.

Three out of four marauders, plus Cat, carried on with the pranks. They let out dungbombs into the Slytherin common room, filled the Hufflepuff common room with pink bubbles, jinxed the Ravenclaw portrait to give out impossible riddles. Unfortunately that was all they could do because they were down one and somehow Lily was always watching their every move.

❏❏❏

JUNE 27th 1976

Cat was tired of school. All she wanted to do was relax with the boys, Marlene, Rachel, or Lily. Anything but school. Since the OWL's started, Cat has spent almost all her time studying for the next exam. The next one they had was Transfiguration. Cat had a reputation of running late, which was kept that day. She sprinted down the coridoors until she made it to the room. She barged into the class right before the exam was going to start.

"Punctual as always," Mcgonagall said to her daughter as she was sitting down. 

"I've got a reputation to keep," she smirked, letting her bag fall to the floor. Mcgonagall explained how the OWL's were going to go before starting. Today was the essay part of OWL's, the practical part was earlier in the week. The topic of their 20-inch essay was the Switching Spell. The Switching Spell was easy, they had learned it in first year. But because she hadn't been to Hogwarts until fifth year, Cat was having trouble. By the time they had ten minutes left of the exam, Cat only had 18 inches written. She scrambled to finish it in the knick of time.

"I will throw myself off the astronomy tower before I have to write another 20-inch essay," Marlene said as they walked out of the class.

"Don't say that," Lily said from next to Cat. "They weren't the worst thing we've had to do."

"Where are you two headed?" Cat asked.

"Marlene needs help studying Potions." 

"Have fun," Cat told them.

"Are you not joining?" Marlene asked.

"I'm not going anywhere near the library until I desperantely need to."

"Oh come on, I could use help with Muggle Studies." Marlene pleaded.

"Sorry girls, Cat's all booked for the afternoon," James said, coming up behind the three.

"I am?" Cat questioned.

"Yes you are," Remus told her.

"Anything to get out of studying, see you guys later," Cat waved goodbye to Lily and Marlene and made their way outside. The five went to the black lake, finding shade underneath the big oak tree. The all had taken off their robes and were just in the button up and pants, or in Cat's case, skirt. "What did you guys really need me for?" she asked them as the four started skipping rocks. Cat sat on a rock in the sand, watching them.

"We haven't seen you in forever," Peter stated.

"You see me everyday, we have the same classes," Cat retorted.

"Yeah but we haven't seen you in forever," Remus stressed.

"Awe, did you guys miss hanging out with me," Cat teased.

"Yes, oh so very much," James smirked.

"We all know I'm your only source of fun."

"For sure," James agreed. "You're much more fun than these three."

"Stop flirting, will you?" Sirius requested.

"We aren't flirting," James and Cat said in unison.

"It's called banter," Cat told him.

"Banter is flirting," Remus pointed out.

"No it's not you wanker," James testified.

"Stop denying it," Peter said. Something snapped behind the tree and all of them turned around to see Snape walking up to them.

"Ah, Snivellus, come to hang out with us?" Sirius teased.

"I was just trying to find a quiet place to study," Snape said.

"Maybe try the library," Peter told him.

"I heard Lily's in there, and we all know you're obsessed with her," James joked.

"Thought I'd come here to practice a few hexes. Since you're the only ones here," Snape pulled his wand out but Remus immediately disarmed him.

"What now?" Peter taunted.

"I know what to do," James took his wand out and soon, Snape was levitateing, upside down in the air.

"Put me dows this instant," he demanded.

"I don't think you're in any position to make demands," Cat remarked.

"Cat, are you here?" Lily's voice came from around the corner of trees. "Potter! What are you doing!"

"We're just having a bit of fun, Evans," Sirius laughed.

"This does not look like fun."

"It is pretty funny," Peter said.

"Potter, put him down now!," Lily now demanded. James looked down at her and smirked.

"If you say so." Snape fell from the air, landing hard on his back.

"Severus are you alright?" Lily rushed to his side.

"Get away from me," Snape pushed her aside. "I don't need help from Mudbloods like you," he seethed. Lily's face fell and everyone went silent, the only noise was the soft crashing of waves coming in from the lake. Tears started falling down Lily's face as she ran away. "Lily wait, I-"

Snape was stopped by Cat, who was in front of him with her wand raised to his throat. "Don't you dare chase after her." she told him. "Ducklifors" Snape shrunk down and was turned into a duck. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter stared at the duck.

"Shit," Peter muttered. 

"Remind me never to mess with your friends," James said, astonished. Cat laughed as the five walked away from the scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short chapter i’m also sorry if snape’s worst memory isn’t as it is canonly, i needed to change it for the sake of my story


	19. Chapter 19

JUNE 29th 1976

FOR the last five days of the year, Cat spent her nights with Professor Slughorn for detentions. Since Snape was a Slytherin, the first person he went to about the duck problem was Slughorn. Any other teacher, it would've been his word against hers for who truned him into a duck, but since Slughorn was head of Slytherin, he felt opted to believeing Snape.

"I need you to start scrubbing down all the cauldrons," Slughorn told her. It was a Friday night, but she still had to serve her detentions tonight and Saturday night. Slughorn didn't allow Cat to use magic to clean, so she had to use normal, Muggle cleaning techniques. She grabbed a washcloth and some soap and started scrubbing down the messy cauldrons. Whatever the seventh years did last, went horribly wrong. There was black goop on all the tables and encrusted on the cauldrons. It didn't smell the best either. 

By the time she was done, dinner had come and gone and it was past curfew. "Thank you for cleaning those, Catriona. It was a big help."

"It was my pleasure," she said sarcastically. Cat opened the heavy door with aching arms and started for the common room. The corridors were silent, except for the howling wind outside. Coming up on the stairs, the door to her mothers office swung open and Mcgonagall walked out.

"Catriona, just the person I wanted to see," she greeted.

"Hi mum," she said with a smile.

"I saved some food from the feast, thought you might be a bit hungry." Cat followed her mother into her office. On the large brown desk was a plate of chicken and some pumpkin juice. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What about?"

"The issue you had with Mr. Snape two days ago, you still havent told me."

"Me and the boys, James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter, were down by the lake after our Transfiguration OWL's. Snape came up, you know none of us like him, and tried to say he was looking for a quiet place. We told him to try the library but he decided to threaten to hex us. Remus disarmed him and James, he levitated him. I know it really isn't allowed but it was quite funny. Anyways, Lily came and stopped James but Snape still had the audacity to call her a you-know-what. I simply gave him what he deserved, to be a duck," Cat ranted.

"That's...quite a story."

"I promise he got what he deserved. Don't punish James, he was only trying to have a little fun. We deserved it after a full day of OWL's," Cat rambled.

"Calm down, I'm not going to punish Mr. Potter. No one was there to see him, except Mr. Snape of course, but he was more concerned about being a duck." Mcgonagall assured her. Cat laughed and continued eating. By the time she made it up to the common room, it was well past curfew. The only person still in the common room was James, who was sleeping on an armchair. Cat sat down on the couch, just enjoying the comfort until she had to go up to her dorm and get bombarded with questions from Marlene about detention. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

"Look who's home," James said, yawning.

"Home sweet common room," she replied.

"How was detention?"

"It was awful. My arms are sore from scrubbing cauldrons."

"I'm sorry." Cat perked up and looked at him.

"Sorry? For what?" she asked.

"I'm mostly the reason you got detention. If I wasn't messing with Snape, he wouldn't have called Lily...that, and you wouldn't have had to turn him into a duck, no matter how funny it was. I'm surprised I didn't get detention. So, I'm sorry."

"I was talking to my mum about you," Cat said after a few silent moments.

"Now who's the one that is telling their parents about eachother."

"My mum had known you since you were eleven. Anyways, I explained to her want happened and she said she wasn't going to punish you. I told her you were just playing around. So you should be thanking me instead of apolgizing," she teased.

"My savior," he said, tiredly.

❏❏❏

JUNE 30th 1976

After her last detenion of the year, Cat walked out of Slughorns office. The detention was exceptionally shorter than the night prior. Her arms ached less and she wasn't as tired, even though it was almost curfew. Obviously the boys weren't tired either, they were standing outisde Slughorns, waiting for Cat. "Oh!" Cat yelped as she literally ran into Remus. "Sorry I wasn't looking where I was going. What are you guys doing out here?"

"Waiting for you," James said. Cat raised an eyebrow at them.

"We are going flying and James wanted to see if you wanted to join," Peter said from the ground.

"I was being nice," James told them. "Do you want to come?"

"It's almost past curfew," Cat pointed out. "I don't want to get in trouble again.

"Who are you and what have you done with our Cat?" Sirius asked.

"Funny," Cat said.

"We do this every year, it's like a tradition," Remus explained.

"And we've yet to get caught," James said.

"Alright let's go," Cat gave in. Peter hopped up from the ground and they all made their way to the quidditch pitch. Sirius, Cat, and James grabbed their brooms out of the shed and Remus and Peter used the school ones. Apparently Peter was afraid of heights, but he flew with them anyways. Cat watched as Sirius and Remus had a few races, Peter and James were tossing a Quaffle back and forth. Cat was just sitting there, hovering over the ground watching her friends.

"Up for a race?" James offered.

"Always," Cat said. She flew a few feet higher, even with James.

"Ready, set," Remus announced."GO!" Cat zoomed down towards the other end of the stadium. The braid her hair was in, flying behind her, hitting against her back. Rounding at the other end, Cat had a narrower turn, making her take the lead. "And Catriona Mcgonagall wins!"

Cat threw her hands up as a victory. "Now I know why I picked you as Seeker and why I'm not one," James complimented.

"Why thank you."

"Guys it's time," Sirius said. The boys flew even higher than before so they could get a better view of whatever was going on.

"What is it?"

"Just wait," Peter hushed her and turned back to the castle. Not a minute before the bell to strike 11pm, the sky lit up in color. Fireworks were being set off from various places along the castle grounds. 

The show lasted for several minutes, but not stopping before a huge firework lit up the sky, clearly saying THE MARAUDERS WERE HERE and finished with a huge roaring lion. "You guys did all of that?"

"Yes we did," James said. "We do one every year."

"We always show that we were here in one way or another," Sirius informed her.

"One year we somehow got all the portraits to chant it as the school was being emptied," Peter explained.

"This year it was all thanks to Moony here," James said, patting Remus on the shoulder.

"I would like to thank the New Years firework show for inspiring me," Remus announced to a fake crowd.

❏❏❏

JULY 1st 1976

Cat didn't ride the train back to Kings Cross Station, she was going to side-along with her mom to apparate to her house. Because of this, she was saying her goodbyes at the Hogwarts entrance. "You have to be better at writing to me than you were at Christmas," Marlene said as they were hugging. 

"I promise," Cat told her.

"I feel like we I haven't seen much of you this term so don't be surprised if I show up one day on your front porch," Marlene warned before walking off to the train.

"I'll miss you Cat," Lily and Rachel said at the same time. The two had gotten closer over the spring term and were now proper friends.

James hugged Cat before the other three marauders joined in. "You have to visit for summer," James told her.

"Summer's are even better than Christmas'," Remus said.

"Now that I'm a permanent resident at the Potter's, you won't have any surprises," Sirius boasted.

"I don't know if being kicked out and disowned is something to be happy about," Cat questioned.

"When you get disowned and kicked out of the Black family, it is something to celebrate over," Peter laughed.

"Right so we will have a little celebration and guess what, you're invited," James said. "That means you're obligated to come."

"Alright I'll see you this summer. Now go on, you'll be late," Cat said goodbye to her friends and watched them walk out of the castle ground before she herself, retreated back into the castle to finish packing her things.


	20. Chapter 20

JULY 3rd 1976

CATRIONA MCGONAGALL,

I HAVE THE BEST NEWS EVER!! (well best for me) ANYWAYS, MY MUM SAID THAT GEORGE IS ALLOWED TO VISIT!! I JUST KNOW MY BROTHERS ARE GOING TO EMBARRASS ME BUT IM TOO EXCITED TO CARE!!

-MARLENE

❏❏❏

Cat,

I know it's only been two days but how's your summer so far? Mines been BORING. Sirius has been a bit sulky, I don't know why, and Moony is at home with his parents. I need something exciting to happen.

-James

❏❏❏

JULY 5th 1976

Cat,

James told me you didn't reply to his letter the other day, are you okay? Him and Padfoot have been driving me up the wall. Maybe I'll stay at Pete's instead.

-Remus

❏❏❏

Cat,

Is your summer going okay? I hope it is. My mum really wants to meet you, maybe we can plan a day for you to visit? 

-Lily

❏❏❏

CAT, 

GEORGE IS HERE. OH MERLIN HE'S HERE! WHY AM I SO NERVOUS??! I COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELP!!

-MARLENE

❏❏❏

JULY 18th 1976

Cat,

ARE YOU ALIVE! James and Remus said you haven't responded to their letters from earlier this month. James thinks you hate him now for some reason. Lily and Marlene said you haven't responded either. YOU BETTER ANSWER THIS OR SO HELP ME!!

-Sirius

❏❏❏

JULY 30 1976

Cat,

This may be a little weird to ask but have you owled Rachel. What am I kidding, probably not. I mean, you haven't answered anyone's letters all summer. Everyone's getting a little worried. I told them you are probably trying but something isn't working.

-Peter

❏❏❏

CAT,

ANSWER SOMEONE'S LETTERS SO WE KNOW YOU'RE OKAY!!!!

-MARLENE

❏❏❏

AUGUST 9th 1976

Cat,

Are you alive? I'm seriously concerned. Why haven't you written back? Are you mad at us for some reason? Never mind, that is impossible, we are great people.

-James

p.s We are still having that celebration. So if you are reading this, write back where you live. I'd use floo but I don't want to risk seeing Professor in her nighty.

❏❏❏

AUGUST 9th 1976

Cat read James' letter over and over again. Her friends were worried about her and there was nothing she could do. After Marlene's letter on the first day, she tried to write back but Marlene's owl flew right away. Their house owl, Esme, was no where to be seen. Not in the house, not at the ministry when her mother went, and not in the house Catriona made for her when she was seven. She asked her mother why this was happening, but she was awfully cryptic. "They are just busy with other things, Catriona. Don't worry." she told her. Cat decided to ask her again.

"Mum," Cat called through the house as she walked down the stairs.

"I'm here dear," Mcgonagall called back from the kitchen.

"Will you please explain to me what's going on with the owls?" 

"I-" she started before Cat interrupted her.

"And don't say they are busy, cause I know that's not true. I need to write back to my friends. They are worried something happened to me."

Mcgonagall sighed and set down the kitchen utensils she was using. "With the upcoming war, the owls are not permitted to stay at the house they drop anything off at. As for Esme, I haven't a clue where she's off to."

"Cant you get an owl from the Ministry?" Cat pleaded. "I only need to write two or three letters."

Mcgonagall stood there, thinking, for a few moments until she gave in. "I will take your letters there. Albus has told me there is something I need to do there after dinner."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Cat said with a bright smile. She kissed her mum on the cheek before going back up to her room to start writing her letters.

❏❏❏

MARLENE,

HOW WAS IT WITH GEORGE?? I'M SO SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN WRITING BACK, SOMETHING WITH THE OWLS HERE. I DO HOPE YOU WERE YOURSELF WITH GEORGE.

-CAT

❏❏❏

Lily,

I am so sorry I didn't write back. I would've loved meeting your parents, they seem like great people! Maybe I can meet them over winter break? You, me, Marlene, and Rachel need to hangout, just us, when we get back. (Now that you're friends with Rachel and everything)

-Cat

❏❏❏

James,

It's very cute that you were worried about me but I'm okay, I promise. And don't worry, I'm not mad at any of you. I hope Sirius wasn't sulking the whole summer and you lot had fun. But I didn't forget about Sirius' disowned-from-a terrible-family celebration. Just tell me when and I can floo to your house.

-Cat

❏❏❏

AUGUST 10th 1976

James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter were sitting in the Potter's dining room. James and Peter were playing a competitive game of Wizards Chess, Sirius and Remus were playing Exploding Snap. There was a tapping at the door that grabbed all four boys attention. A brown barn owl was impatiently waiting to be let in. "Should we let it in?" Peter questioned.

"What if it's for your parents, James," Remus suggested.

"Maybe it's just a letter from Marlene or Lily," Sirius said.

James looked at the clock that read 2:15 am "It won't be them, it's too late," he told them as he let the owl in. The pudgy owl dropped the letter in James' hands before flying off. James Potter was scrawled across the front. "It's from Cat."

"Open it," Remus nudged him.

"James, it's very cute that you were worried about me but I'm okay, I promise. And don't worry, I'm not mad at any of you. I hope Sirius wasn't sulking the whole summer and you lot had fun. But I didn't forget about Sirius' disowned-from-a terrible-family celebration. Just tell me when and I can floo to your house," James read to the others.

"You told her I was sulking?" Sirius asked. 

"You were mate," Peter told him.

"Write back and tell her when she can be here," Remus told him. James grabbed a quill and a parchment from the office and wrote:

Cat, 

Wow, you are alive. You can pop over tomorrow morning if you'd like. See you then!

-James

James gave the letter to the boys for them to read over. Sirius grabbed the quill and added to the bottom,

p.s I was not sulking. You were being fed lies. -Sirius

"Perfect," Sirius said. He handed the letter to James and he tied it to his own owl before sending it off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short chapter again but the next ones gonna be a good one


	21. Chapter 21

AUGUST 10th 1976

JAMES, Remus, Sirius, and Peter were enjoying their dinner when Cat fell out of the Potter's fireplace. "Cat!" Peter said, being the first person who saw her.

"Hey guys," Cat greeted, wiping the dust off her clothes.

"So you don't hate us after all," Remus said to her.

"Don't worry, I don't," Cat told the boys. "The reason I wasn't responding was because my owl was no where to be seen and the owls aren't allowed to stay long enough to deliver another letter. Something about the war."

"What took you so long to get here?" James asked.

"You don't actually think I'd come early in the morning, did you?" Cat asked.

"Yeah James," Sirius told her. "She needs more beauty sleep than me." Sirius smirked at Cat while she threw the closest thing at him, which was a couch pillow. Sirius caught it and threw it back. Cat dodged the pillow, hitting Peter who stood behind her. This sparked a pillow fight.

❏❏❏

AUGUST 11th 1976

Cat stayed in the same room she did over the Christmas holiday and woke up well after the boys. "Cat, dear, I have breakfast if you'd like some," Euphemia greeted her.

"No thank you Mrs. Potter, I'm not very hungry," Cat responded. "Thank you though."

"Very well then. Oh and call me Euphemia," she told her. "The boys are out in the garden." Cat nodded and made her way out the back door to where the boys were sitting.

"How are you sitting out here," Cat said, walking up to them. "It's too hot."

"And she's awake," Remus said.

"What did I say about her needing beauty sleep." Sirius nudged Remus in the ribs.

"Don't make me throw a pillow at you again."

"Yeah Pads, she's got one hell of arm," James told him. "I bet Cat could beat you next year for Beater."

"Never, I'm too good," Sirius said, flipping his hair.

"I am practically melting out here," Peter whined.

"Pete's right, it is the hottest day of the year," Remus said.

"We could explore the Muggle village," James suggested. The rest of them agreed and walked off towards the village. 

❏❏❏

The group of five wandered around the streets of the village for a few hours. Remus and Cat were familiar with Muggles and how they lived, James, Peter, and Sirius on the other hand were not. Peter looked like a lost little kid while James and Sirius looked like two little kids in a candy shop. "What is that?" Sirius asked, looking at a red box on the corner of one of the streets. Sirius walked up to the box, intrigued.

"That, Pads, is a phone," Remus told him, following the boy.

"Oh! I know what a tellyphone is!" James exclaimed. "You use it to see moving pictures."

"No, James. Thats a television," Cat laughed. "A telephone is used to talk to someone who lives far away."

"Why don't they use the fireplace?" Peter questioned.

"Muggles don't have magical fireplaces Peter," Cat told him.

"Half-bloods don't have them either if they live in a Muggle house," Remus added.

"Can we call someone?" Sirius asked.

"Lily gave me her number, we can ring her," Cat suggested.

"Oh please do," Peter said. 

Cat dug into her pocket for a few quarters she brought along. As she climbed into the phone box, James, Peter, and Sirius tried to follow. "Not all of us are able to fit," she told them. "Wait out there, you can keep the door open." The three, clueless boys retreated from the booth, waiting outside while Remus kept the door open. 

Cat started dialing the number on the piece of paper she wrote Lily's number down on. There was ringing until a voice came through. "Hello? Who is this? What do you want?" a voice asked.

"Oh sorry, this must be the wrong number. I was looking for a Lily Evans," Cat said.

The girl on the other side groaned. "You're one of those freaks from her freak school, aren't you."

"Yes, I do happen to be one of those freaks. Now do you mind if I speak with Lily."

"LILY!" the girl screamed. Cat pulled the phone away from her ear.

"What's wrong?" James asked.

"Lily's sister is screaming."

"Is she as terrible as Evans describes her?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, thinks we're freaks."

"Hello?" Lily's voice came through.

"Hi Lily."

"Cat hi! I got your letter. Was everything alright?"

"Yeah, something with the owls," Cat told her.

"Did you need something?" Lily asked.

"Oh no, the boys were mesmerized by the telephone booth so we decided to give you a call."

"Oh that's great." The phone was taken out of Cat's hands by Sirius.

"EVANS! ARE ... YOU ... THERE?" Sirius slowly screamed.

"Sirius, you don't have to go that slow or loud," Cat said. 

The boys took their turns talking to Lily before they ran out of quarters. By the end of the night, Cat's legs felt like jello from walking around the village for hours.

❏❏❏

AUGUST 31th 1976

Cat and the boys were out exploring the village again the last day of summer break. Sirius grabbed some firewhisky from Fleamont's alcohol cabinet, much to Remus' dislike. This time around the village, the five found a public pool. The pool was closed but that didn't stop James from hopping the fence, followed by Sirius, ending with Peter. 

At this point at night, Sirius, James, and Peter were a bit tipsy. Remus and Cat decided not to drink, in case they had to haul the other three half a mile back to the Potter's. "Come on guys, we need to go for a swim! It's the last day of summer!" Sirius declared, a little more drunk than Cat had thought. Without a doubt, Sirius jumped into the pool. "Come on guys! Moony jump in, let loose!" Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius' antics, but decided to jump in. Peter and James got in after the two, leaving Cat sitting at one of the tables.

"Come on Cat, get it," James called out to her.

"No, I'm fine up here and dry."

"Don't be a downer," Remus told her.

"It's really warm," Peter said.

"I'll watch from up here," Cat reassured them. James climbed out of the pool, walking over to Cat. "What are you doing?"

"Keeping you company," he said. "You look lonely."

"You don't have to, you can go back."

"If you say so," James said. He stood up and walked towards the edge before stopping. James turned around and ran back to Cat. "Come on."

"What do- James! Put me down," Cat begged as James picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "James!" Cat's voice was cut off from the water. "James Potter. I didn't want to get wet."

"Well now you are, so enjoy it," James said, squatting down. Cat looked up at him, wading in the water. She grabbed James' waist, throwing him over her head, into the water. "Really, Cat. You had to throw me in."

"Payback's a bitch Prongs," Peter said.

The rest of the night, the five spent in the pool. They took turns doing flips and showing off their best tricks. Even after it started raining, they stayed. The only thing that stopped them from swimming, were the cops. "Hey! You five! You are trespassing on private property after hours," one of the cops yelled. Cat was sitting on the edge of the pool while Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter were passing around the large bottle of Firewhisky in the pool.

"What is that?" the other cop asked.

"Whisky!" Sirius drunkenly proclaimed. "Want some?"

"Padfoot!"

"Pads!

"Sirius!" Cat, James and Remus yelled at him in sync.

"You don't look of age, how old are you?"

"We, kind sir, are 15," Peter told him, also drunk.

"Pete!"

"Wormtail!"

"Peter!" The three who were only tipsy, yelled again.

"15? That's illegal," the first cop said.

"Underage drinking and trespassing will get you a night in jail," the other one said.

"Shit. You four, let's go," Cat said to the boys, quiet enough for only them to hear. 

"What?" Remus asked.

"I don't feel like spending the night in a jail cell so let's go," Cat told them. The four boys clamored out of the pool. The five glanced at each other before running and jumping the fence. Without looking back, Cat knew the cops were following. She heard them yelling at them to stop running.

"Why are they following?" Remus asked once they turned down an alley and stopped running.

"I don't know, we didn't do anything that bad," Cat said. 

"A little underage drinking and trespassing isn't bad, it's healthy," James added.

"There still coming guys," Peter said, leering around the corner. Running away from the police seemed to sober him up a bit.

"Let's go," Sirius said. The five ran more, police still following.

"What did you say the other week about you running away from the cops? What did you do?" James said, referring to what she told him during one of their study sessions.

"The fire escape," she said. "Up here!" Cat started climbing up one of the fire escapes around a corner. She was followed by the boys, Peter almost slipping from the rain. 

On top of the building, Cat saw the two officers run right past them. "We did it!" Peter exclaimed.

"All thanks to Cat here," Remus said. 

"If it wasn't for your criminal back ground, we would be spending the night in a cell." James told her, while the other three were clapping. 

"Cat, Cat, Cat," Sirius started drunkly chanting. James picked Cat up and placed her on his and Sirius' shoulder.

"Our savior!" James yelled.

"You guys are ridiculous," Cat laughed as James set her on the ground. "It's not that-" Cat was cut off by James kissing her. She was stunned. She liked James but never thought that he liked her back. Coming to her senses, she pulled away.

"Finally!" Sirius threw his arms up.

"Sorry I- I don't- sorry," James stuttered while running his hands through his wet hair.

"No it's uh- it's fine," Cat told him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if the whole cop thing wasn’t realistic, sorry. i don’t know how the police would act in that situation


	22. Chapter 22

SEPTEMBER 1st 1976

THE boys climbed into their normal compartment on the train back to Hogwarts. Cat was yanked into the one opposite by Marlene who was already with Rachel. "Catriona Mcgonagall," Marlene said with a scolding tone.

"Marlene Mckinnon," Cat said back.

"Why did it take you so long to respond?" Marlene asked.

"The owls were messed up. Since the war is heating up, no owls are allowed to stay too long," Cat explained.

"Seems like the truth," Rachel shrugged as Lily entered the compartment. "Hey Lily."

"Hey guys, how was your summer Cat? Rachel and Marlene already owl'd me and told me how theirs was." Lily said with a raised brow.

"Me and James kissed," Cat blurted out.

"WHAT!" Marlene practically screamed.

"You finally got up the courage to kiss him?" Rachel asked.

"Well he kissed me."

"He kissed you?" Lily asked, getting a nod from Cat.

"When?"

"Last night."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He apologized for it though."

"How did it happen."

"We broke into a Muggle pool and brought some of his dad's firewhisky. When the police showed up, Sirius told them it was alcohol and Peter told them we were only fifteen," Cat started.

"Sirius and Peter ratted you out?"

"Yes, Lily, now let her continue."

"We started running and went up a fire escape on one of the buildings. Peter almost slipped from the rain, it was hilarious. When we saw the police run past, we celebrated and he kissed me. It was just the firewhisky, nothing to get excited over."

"Don't fool yourself," Marlene tutted. "It wasn't firewhisky. Did you have any?"

"A bit, so did he."

"Then it shouldn't have been that, you didn't have enough," Rachel added. "He wanted to do it."

"If he wanted to, do you think he would've apologized?"

"YES!" Marlene and Rachel yelled at the same time.

"Lily? You're being awfully quiet, what do you think?" Rachel questioned.

"I think...I think it's great," she told her. "So do you like him?"

"Where have you been the past year," Marlene scolded. "Of course she does!"

❏❏❏

Across the hall in the train, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were watching the girls animatedly talking. "What do you think they're talking about?" Peter whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Sirius asked the three.

"No, not really Pads," Remus told him.

"Oh Moons, always oblivious," Sirius ruffled his hair. "They're talking about Jamesy and Cat's little kiss."

"Oh shove off about that," James blushed.

"We will never shove off about that, will we boys?" Sirius asked the other two Marauders.

"Never," Remus and Peter said in unison.

"You have to talk about it, come on," Remus encouraged.

"You were there, there's nothing to talk about."

"Well, did you want to do it?" Peter asked him.

"I mean... yeah." Sirius leaned over to flick James' ear. "Ow."

"You idiot," Sirius scolded. "Why'd you apologize?"

"Girls hate when you apologize after a kiss," Remus added, gaining a raised eyebrow from Sirius.

"I apologized because I didn't know if she wanted to."

Sirius dramatically fell into Remus' lap. "Oh Moony, our dear friends are oblivious to their love for each other."

"That, Pads, is exactly true. We need to come up with a plan for them to admit their feelings," Remus told him, with the same dramatic tone that Sirius had.

"I love Moony plans," Peter said.

"Wormtail, you can get James to admit his feelings about lovely Cat to you," Remus told him. "Me and Padfoot will get Cat to pour her heart out to us."

"You guys do realize I'm still here, right?"

"Yes, Prongs, you are very hard to miss," Peter said.

"If you're going to do this, there are rules," James told his friends, crossing his arms. "No using Veritaserum."

"Deal," Sirius quickly said. "Prongs, by the end of the month-"

"Week," Remus corrected.

"You and Cat will no longer be lonely."

❏❏❏

SEPTEMBER 3rd 1976

The first three days of the new term were like they always were. Classes were dragging, nights were spent lounging in the common room, and meals were like any other meal. The only difference was the smallest bit of tension in the air. Sirius guessed it was awkward tension between Cat and James while Remus guessed it was how weirdly quiet Lily was being. Cat, Sirius, and Remus were in Care of Magical Creatures, the one class the four Marauders weren't all in. "I miss Professor Stiles, he didn't make us do essays all class," Sirius complained.

"Why'd you take the class then," Remus asked while measuring out his parchment. They were asked to write a 10-inch essay on Kneazle's.

"Someone has to take care of you," Sirius slapped him on his back.

"I don't need you, besides, I've got Cat, James, and Peter."

"Where are James and Peter anyways?" Sirius asked, looking around the class.

"Peter didn't qualify for the class," Cat told him.

"James is probably off somewhere trying to get Lily," Remus said.

"Didn't he say that he didn't like her anymore?" Cat asked, starting to write on her parchment.

"He mentioned something," Remus smirked.

"Then why do you keep bringing it up?" Cat asked, keeping her attention on her paper.

"Come on Cat, it's all fun and games," Sirius said. He seemed to be watching Cat closely.

"It's not very fun or funny to anyone else," Cat snapped. She finally looked up to the two boys who gave each other an amused look. When they looked back at Cat, they both had big smiles on their faces. "What's wrong?"

"Is someone jealous of little ol' Evans?" Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be ridiculous," Cat looked back down to her paper, feeling her cheeks grow red.

"Does Cat fancy James?" Remus asked Sirius.

"You know what Moony? I think so."

"That's just fantastic. Maybe James will stop talking about her once he finds out."

"He talks about me?" Cat looked up to the boys.

"Oh no. We just wanted to get a reaction," Sirius told her.

"And we got the right one. You do like Prongs!" Remus exclaimed

"I never said I did," Cat told them.

"You never said you didn't," Sirius pointed out.

"You're right," Cat looked down at her paper.

Remus and Sirius high-fived each other, "We did it Moony!"

"We finally got Cat to admit her feelings!" 

"I didn't admit them," Cat said.

"Alright class, you're dismissed," Professor Gury told everyone.

"Well do you?" Sirius asked as they started packing up their stuff.

"Yes" Cat quickly said before walking towards the castle.

❏❏❏

Sirius and Remus eventually made it back to the common room, Cat, James and Peter were sitting on the couch. "Wormtail, we need to talk," Sirius said. Peter, Sirius, and Remus walked up to the dorm room to have a talk.

After a few moments of silence, James turned to Cat. "Hi."

Cat smiled at him and said "Hi."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah of course, why?" Cat asked.

"You just seem a little quiet."

"We haven't really talked since..."

"We kissed," James finished.

"Yes."

"If I knew kissing you was going to make it awkward between us, I wouldn't of done it."

"Why did you do it?"

"Kiss you?" James asked, surprised. Cat nodded a short nod. "The same reason Moony kissed Padfoot earlier this morning."

"What? They kissed? Why didn't I know?"

"I don't think they know I know," James laughed.

"Holy shit. Remus and Sirius? I wouldn't have guessed," Cat shook her head in disbelief.

"Anyways, enough about them. I'm sorry I kissed you."

"You're sorry? Why?" Cat asked.

"I thought - wait - did you want me to?"

"Yes, James, I did," Cat told him, laughing a little.

"Good, cause I wanted to," James said before kissing Cat again.

"Woohoo!" Sirius exclaimed, coming back from the dorm. Cat and James pulled away as their three friends entered the room again.

"We are never going to stop talking about this," Remus said.

"Before you two start talking about us," Cat glanced at James. "We need to talk about you two." Remus and Sirius looked at each other, blushing.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"Drop the act Padfoot, James and I saw you this morning," Peter said, lightly shoving Sirius' shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wolfstar supremacy😌


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this part has been sitting in my notes for AGES so enjoy:)

SEPTEMBER 14th 1976

JAMES and Cat haven't said anything about their feelings or relationship, if you could call it that, since they last talked about it during the first week they were there. Neither of them made any effort to do anything about it either. The one person who was expressing how they felt about James, was Lily. Apparently Lily believed James had matured over the summer and gotten quite fit. It was as if James and Lily had swapped bodies over the break. "What's got you all smiley?" Marlene asked Lily as she came into the room.

"Hm? Nothing," Lily smiled and shook her head. 

"Come on Lils, something has gotten you chirpier than normal. Tell us," Rachel pleaded.

Lily glanced over to Cat, who was fixing her hair in the mirror of the bathroom with the door open so she could hear the conversation. "Fine, I was just talking to James."

Cat looked out the door at Lily, who was inspecting a Potions book. Marlene looked at Cat, then looked back at Lily and asked, "Since when did 'Potter' become James?"

"And since when did he make you happy?" Rachel added

"Oh, I don't really remember."

"What were you talking about?" Cat asked, sitting on the edge of her own bed.

"Just some Potions stuff, he asked me a question about it," Lily said, closing the Potions textbook she was reading. "I found it, I'll be back guys." Lily rushed out of the room and back down to the common room.

Cat decided to pull out her own schoolwork and start working, despite it being a Friday night. "What are you doing?" Marlene asked, abruptly shutting Cat's book.

"Starting on my work. What's wrong with that?"

"It is a Friday afternoon," Rachel told her.

"And Miss Evans is trying to steal James from you," Marlene told her.

"Steal James from me? Lily can't steal him if he isn't even mine," Cat reminded her.

"Wait, so you guys aren't together?" Rachel asked.

"Have you seen us doing anything that couples do?"

"Well - no - but we thought you were just hiding it," Marlene said. Cat shook her head and opened her book back up. Once again, Marlene slammed her book shut and grabbed it. "Why aren't you doing anything about this? What happened?"

"Well we talked a few days after we kissed, we kissed again, and now we are back to normal," Cat explained.

"Why don't you go talk to him?" Rachel asked.

"I've already told him everything I need to. I told him I was happy he kissed me over the summer and he said he wanted to. I don't know what else to say."

"This is unacceptable. You guys have to talk!" Marlene exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"I don't know what you want me to say. Now if you are going to keep interrogating and lecturing me, I am going to go do my work in the library," Cat told Marlene, grabbing her book from her before walking out the door. In the common room, James and Peter were playing a game of exploding snap while Lily sat next to James and was telling him something he seemed very bored of.

When she walked out of the portrait hole, she saw Remus and Sirius sitting on the stairs. "What are you two doing out here?" Cat asked them.

"We were just talking," Remus told her.

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked.

"The library to do my work."

"Is James still in there?" Remus asked.

"He's playing exploding snap with Peter while Lily talks his ear off."

"Still? Why haven't you stopped her," Sirius scolded.

"You sound like Marlene. James isn't my property, he can talk to whoever he wants."

"We just figured since..." Remus trailed off.

"Me and James haven't said anything about that since that day."

"Well instead of going to the library, you should hang out with us," Sirius invited.

"Sirius stole some firewhisky from Fleamont, again," Remus said.

"Fine."

"Great!" Sirius jumped up and pushed the portrait door open and walked in. Peter and James' game had ended and James moved to the couch while Peter sat in an armchair. Lily was still next to James and was still talking his ear off. Sirius disappeared to their dorm and came down a few moments later with a bottle.

"Oi, did you nick that from my dad?" James asked.

"Yes," Sirius said with a large smile. "He won't care, he loves me." Sirius poured everyone a cup before drinking out of the bottle himself.

"You sure that's a good idea, Padfoot?" Remus asked.

"Yeah mate, you're a bit of a lightweight," James said.

Everyone laughed, including Sirius, but none louder than Lily. "James you are hilarious," she told him, placing a hand on his arm. Sirius and Remus glanced at Cat, who glanced back at them with the same confused look they were showing.

❏❏❏

It was plainly obvious that Lily didn't drink much. She tried to keep up with James and Sirius, who had a much higher tolerance for alcohol than she did. Within the next hour, Lily was completely plastered. "Okay, I think that's enough drinks for you," James told Lily after she had randomly started jumping on the couch.

"What? No, I'm completely fine. Another?" she insisted, slurring her words.

"Come on Lily," Cat laughed. "Let's get you to bed." Cat grabbed Lily's hand and helped her off the couch.

"Do you need help?" James asked.

"No, I got her. Goodnight guys."

"Goodnight."

"Night Cat."

"Night."

"G'night"

Cat guided Lily up to their dorm and plopped her down on her bed. Cat took Lily's shoes off for her and tucked her under the covers. She went back over to her own bed and changed into a jumper and shorts, then climbed under the red duvet.

❏❏❏

SEPTEMBER 21st 1976

Another week passed without James and Cat talking about their relationship. Other than that, everything was perfectly fine. They acted the same they did in fifth year except they weren't in fifth year again, it was sixth year and they kissed. Neither James nor Cat acknowledged it. Lily was starting to flirt with James at any point she could. Marlene was still upset that Cat wasn't going to say anything to James. Cat decided to spend her free period in the library, revising for the History of Magic test she had next period. "Where are you going?" James asked her from the couch.

"Just the library to study for History of Magic," she told him.

"Do you mind if I join? You know I am rubbish at History of Magic," James laughed.

"Yeah," Cat smiled. James grabbed his bag and walked out of the portrait hole after Cat. 

Their walk started in silence, an awkward silence. Cat thought she should say something, but what? Normal they talked about classes, quidditch, anything. Cat imagined what Marlene would say when she told her about this. 'You should've said something!' Cat quickly decided to say something on the matter but before she could, James said, "Hey, what's wrong? You seem off."

"It's nothing."

"No, it's not, tell me."

"Well, I-" Before Cat could continue, Lily appeared out of nowhere.

"Hey James," she greeted, not paying any attention to Cat. "Do you mind helping me with my Transfiguration homework? I can't seem to get my banana to turn into a shoe."

"Maybe later, Evans. I'm going to study with Cat," James told her.

"Okay, I'll meet you in the common room later, alright?"

"Sure," James said. Lily walked off back towards the common room and Cat couldn't help the laugh escape her mouth. "What?"

"You are oblivious."

"What are you talking about?"

"She was obviously asking you on a study date," Cat told him.

"I didn't accept it, I'm studying with you. What does it matter?" 

"Nevermind," Cat dismissed, speeding up her pace so she was ahead of James. Within a few steps, James was in front of her, stopping her from continuing.

"Somethings bothering you. Now tell me or I'm not letting you go to the library," James crossed his arms.

"Well you know I like you and it's silly and we really haven't done or said anything about it since that night we talked the first week back but seeing Lily suddenly showing interest in you and flirting with you is making me - I don't know - jealous?" Cat rambled in one breath. James only looked at her for a minute before pulling Cat into a hug. "Why'd you do that?" she asked when James let go.

"You do realize I like you too. I just never knew what to say."

"Really?"

"Was the kiss over the summer not obvious? Or the kiss our first week back? Or me telling you that night that I wanted to kiss you? Or me just rejecting the girl I was pining over for five years before I met you?"

"Well us not really talking about it and Lily flirting confused me a bit."

"Let's go," James laughed. He put his arm around Cat's shoulder and the pair continued to walk towards the library.


	24. Chapter 24

OCTOBER 1st 1976

QUIDDITCH season was quickly approaching. You could tell by all the anxious second years who planned on trying out. James was the captain, again, and practically dragged Sirius out to the pitch every morning at 6 am. Some days Cat would join them. Some days she needed her sleep, today being one of those days. Cat was having a nice night's sleep when her curtains were pulled back, letting the little light from the morning sun pour into her bed. "No, Lily, I'm not getting up this early," she grumbled, pulling her duvet over her head.

"Cat," someone whispered, definitely not Lily.

Cat slowly pulled the cover down from her head to see who the voice, which was definitely not Lily's, belonged to. There wasn't anything there, but someone pulled the curtains back. Cat then knew it was James with his invisibility cloak. She reached out and pulled the cloak, showing James decked out in his quidditch uniform "Why are you in here, James?" she asked, leaning up on her elbows.

"Get up please," James pleaded.

"Why?"

"Quidditch, Sirius won't go with me," James whispered.

"Why should I when I could get two more hours of sleep?" Cat cocked an eyebrow.

"Because you love quidditch and you would never miss out on a chance to hang out with me," James slyly smiled.

"Fine," Cat sighed. She climbed out of her bed on the opposite side that James was on.

"I knew you couldn't resist spending time with me," James said, receiving a pillow thrown at his face. Before he could throw it back, Cat was already in the bathroom, dressing in her quidditch jumper and pants.

❏❏❏

"All I'm saying is that Remus and Sirius were bound to be together at some point," James pointed out as they entered the locker room to get their brooms.

"I never would've guessed it," Cat shrugged.

"Well-" James stopped talking and walking when he saw who was out on the quidditch pitch before them. Severus Snape and Regulus Black were hovering a few feet in the air when they noticed James and Cat walk in.

"Get out of here, Potter. We were here first," Snape called over. James and Cat ignored his demand and walked over to where Snape was now standing.

"I think we are going to stay, Snivellus. Maybe you two should crawl back to your dungeon," James told them. Regulus was on the ground by now

"We were here first," Snape said.

"We are the ones with try-outs tomorrow," Cat reminded him.

"Why don't you and your blood-traitor boyfriend go-"

"Do you want to be a duck again?" Cat cut him off. "I heard that wasn't very fun." James laughed a loud, booming laugh.

"Let's go, Severus," Regulus whispered to him. Snape held eye contact with James, before walking back with Regulus.

"I wish he would've stayed," James commented with his eyes still trained in their retreating figures. He turned to Cat and said, "I would've liked seeing him as a duck again."

"I'd rather not get more detention," Cat said, flying up into the air. "You coming?" James climbed onto his broom and flew up next to Cat.

❏❏❏

James and Cat met up with Sirius, Remus, and Peter at breakfast. "Where were you two?" Peter asked with a mouth full of toast.

"Quidditch pitch," Cat said, sitting next to Remus, with James across from her.

"Wow, Prongs, I'm hurt you didn't ask me," Sirius told him.

"I guess you were the one that wanted to spend time with me," Cat told James.

"Are you guys nervous?" Remus asked the three, James, Sirius, and Cat, who enjoyed playing quidditch.

"No need to be," James said. "With me as captain, they have automatic places."

"You can't do that, James. You have to pick by talent," Cat scolded.

"I am. The talented ones just so happen to be my friends," James shrugged.

"Friends?" Peter asked. "I thought you two were..." Cat looked up at James, whose face was turning a light shade of pink. The two still haven't talked about making anything official. They were happy with where they were and as far as Cat knew, James didn't want to put any labels on it.

"Besides that," Sirius said, dismissing the awkward silence that fell on the group. "I'm not trying out."

James' head snapped towards his best friend. "What!" he yelled. The heads of Gryffindor's looked at him, along with a few heads from other houses that heard him. "What do you mean you aren't trying out?"

"Just isn't for me anymore," Sirius shrugged.

"He found out his parents will be attending the games for Regulus. They are the ones who wanted him to play," Remus informed them all.

"Come on mate, you're our best Beater," James whined.

"I find that offensive, Potter," Marlene said, taking a seat next to Cat.

"Sorry Mckinnon," James apologized, turning back to Sirius.

"What are they on about?" Marlene asked Cat.

"Sirius doesn't want to try out for quidditch tomorrow. His parents were the ones who wanted him the play and you know how he's big on going against them," Cat explained.

"You wanker," Marlene called to Sirius, throwing a biscuit at him. "Just cause dear old mum and dad wanted you to play, doesn't mean you can just quit."

"I've been trying to tell him that for days," Remus told her.

"You decided this days ago and you didn't tell me?" James asked, offended.

"Calm down James. Sirius was rubbish anyway," Cat said.

"Excuse me?"

"It's a joke, calm down," Cat told him. "Where's Lily and Rachel?" Cat turned to Marlene.

"Lily said something about going to the library and Rachel's curtains were still pulled shut."

❏❏❏

OCTOBER 2nd 1976

Remus, Lily, Sirius, Peter, and Rachel came to watch James, Cat, and Marlene try out for the team late Saturday night. "It's not too late," James told Sirius. Marlene, Cat, and James were hovering in the air in front of the stands where their friends were sitting.

"I already made up my mind, Prongs. Go one now, you'll be late," Sirius insisted. The three flew back down to the ground where the rest of the players were waiting.

James made all the Chasers do a small-scale game, minus the Beaters and Seekers, while the Keepers tried to stop their Quaffle's from making it into the rings. He then let out the Golden Snitch for the two Seekers that were trying out, Cat and another seventh year boy. There were four Beaters trying out so James paired them up and made them each protect a Seeker from the Bludgers. Marlene and another sixth year, Grant, were making sure Cat wasn't going to get hit while Frank Longbottom and a second year named Ben protected the seventh year. "Good luck," James told Cat before he let off the Snitch. Cat made James promise to only pick her if he believed she was better than the other Seeker.

Cat zoomed up towards the Snitch with the seventh year, who she found out was named Emmet, behind her. Marlene flew in front of her, smacking a Bludger away. The Snitch was flying further and further up when Frank smacked a Bludger away from Emmet, which Cat had to duck under. 

❏❏❏

After the long tryouts, Cat ended up catching the Snitch after the second year Beater failed to hit a Bludger, making it hit Emmet instead. Frank and Marlene got the Beater spots and he joined Marlene, Cat, and James for the end of dinner. When they arrived in the Great Hall, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Rachel, and Lily had already left. "Congratulations on Beater, Frank," Cat told him, pouring pumpkin juice into her goblet.

"Thanks," he said.

"You're good," Marlene complimented. "Why haven't you played before?"

"Well I knew Black was good so I never thought I'd make it," he explained. "So when I heard a few days ago he was planning on not trying out-"

"How did you know before me!" James exclaimed. "I'm his best friend."

"I overheard him and Lupin talking about it. He told me not to tell you because he thought you'd act exactly how you are now."

"I'm going to have a serious talk with him when I see him," James huffed.

"Ha, sirius talk with him," Marlene laughed. 

"Over-used joke Marlene," Cat laughed with her.


	25. Chapter 25

OCTOBER 14th 1976

"GRYFFINDOR SEEKER, CATRIONA MCGONAGALL, HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH!" Remus' voice boomed across the quidditch stadium. The old commentators, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, graduated last year and Mcgonagall asked Remus to take their spots. "IT WAS ONE HELL OF A CATCH IF I MIGHT ADD."

"Mr. Lupin," Mcgonagall's voice came through, scolding Remus on his slight language.

Cat landed on the ground, limbs aching from the two-hour match they just played. The Snitch was harder than ever to see through the hard pellets of rain. The score ended up being 320-110, the most points scored in a game since James' third year. James was the first person to congratulate Cat, picking her up in a hug. When James put her down, Marlene hugged her and the rest of the team, along with the whole Gryffindor house, came down and said a round of congratulations to everyone.

"Is that the longest game you've played?" Cat asked Marlene when they got back to the locker room. Unlike last year, they weren't in the locker room alone. A third year, Alicia Jackson, was Keeper and shared with them.

"No, in second year we played one that was nearly three hours," Marlene explained, pulled her robes off.

"Three hours? I couldn't imagine playing that long," Alicia commented. Cat changed into a jumper and her skirt before grabbing a towel in an attempt to dry her hair.

When the three girls walked out of the room, James was leaning against the wall. "Nice game, Alicia. You did amazing," he complimented.

"Thanks, James," she smiled before rushing off to her group of friends that were watching and giggling.

"You did great too," James told Cat.

"You did too," Cat laughed. "Although that better be the last time we have a two-hour match in the morning."

"Here's some advice, catch the Snitch earlier," James joked.

"Oh shove off," Cat laughed, shoving his shoulder lightly before walking back to the castle.

"Where are you going?" James asked.

"It's only 12 pm and I'm exhausted. I'm taking a nap," Cat said.

"No you're not," James grabbed her wrist and turned her around.

"What do you mean I'm not?"

"It's a Hogsmeade weekend, we are going somewhere," James told her. Still having hold of her wrist, James started walking towards the hill to Hogsmeade.

"James slow down. Are the others waiting or something?"

"No. It's just you and me today, darling."

"Since you asked so nicely, I'll come." Cat got her wrist away from James' grip and intertwined her fingers with his.

"You had no choice," he said smiling at her.

❏❏❏

"It looks like Valentine's Day threw up in there," Cat pointed out. James decided to take Cat to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. The place was cramped and the windows steamed up from all the students huddled inside. "It's cute."

"Let's get a table before they're all taken," James said as he pushed the door open. There were students at almost all the tables, but none in a group over or under two. In the back corner was an open table that James guided Cat to. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah," she told him while she was looking around. The place was filled with pink and red decorations that clashed with the turquoise walls and shelves. On the table was a white tablecloth with a pink vase with a single red rose in it. 

"Hello dears," Madam Puddifoot greeted them.

"Hi Madam Puddifoot," James smiled.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. I thought you said you weren't coming back until you were with Ms. Evans?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That was before I met Cat," James told her, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Catriona Mcgonagall, is it?"

"Yes," Cat said with a smile.

"It is lovely to meet you. Now, what can I get you two?" Madam Puddifoot asked, pulling a paper out of her aqua apron. James and Cat told her what they wanted and she went back to behind the counter. 

"Sorry about that," James said.

"About what?" Cat asked. "How you wanted to come here with Lily? I don't care. You aren't my first crush either."

"Who was? Was it that guy from Hogsmeade last year? Or was it-"

"He doesn't go to school here," she told him. "In fact, he isn't even a wizard."

"Who is he?" James asked.

"This hardly seems like something to talk about on a date," Cat pointed out.

"Here you are," Madam Puddifoot came back with James' slice of sponge cake and Cat's slice of cheesecake.

"Thank you," Cat said. Madam Puddifoot nodded and went to another table. "This looks-" Cat stopped talking at the sound of high-pitched screams. James and Cat jumped up and pulled their wands out, along with a few other people in the shop. The screams were cut off by the sound of an explosion. James ran for the door and Cat followed.

The air outside was filled with dust. Through it, there were people in cloaks and masks fighting a few shop owners and students. The shop that was blown up was Zonko's and Quality Quidditch Supplies. Cat looked over to James who was scanning the area. "James watch out! Stupefy," Cat yelled as a cloaked figure apparated behind James.

"Thanks," he said. Another cloaked figure came up and James started dueling him.

"Help!" someone screamed. Cat looked around and saw a man leaned against a wall trying to get one of the many people running around to help him. 

Cat ran over and kneeled down next to the old man. Cat scanned him up and down and saw blood seeping through his shirt. "Can I..." she asked for permission to heal him before she jumped into it.

"Please," he muttered. 

Cat lifted his shirt and saw a deep gash across his abdomen. "Vulnera Sanentur" The man's wound stopped bleeding and started to stitch itself up.

"Thank you," he grabbed Cat's arm as she started to stand up. 

"You're welcome." Cat stood up and looked around for any other people who needed healing. 

She helped a few more people inside the exploded building while people were fighting outside. As she left the ruins of Zonko's, something grabbed her ankle. She pulled her leg away and pointed her wand at the ground. Under the table was a small boy who couldn't be older than 11. Cat put her away and crouched down to look under the table. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm scared," the boy said. His face was red and puffy from crying. 

"It's okay, do you want to come out?" The little boy frantically shook his head and pulled his legs up to his chest. "Okay, uh," Cat looked back to the opening in the wall where she could still hear people fighting. James crossed her mind. She wondered if he was okay or even still fighting. Cat settled down on the floor, crossing her legs. "What's your name?"

"Leo Knox," he told her.

"I'm Cat Mcgonagall," she said.

"Like Professor Mcgonagall?" he asked, his face lighting up.

"Yeah, she's my mom. What house are you in, Leo?"

"Ravenclaw," he told her.

"So you must be really smart, right?"

"I don't know why I'm in Ravenclaw, my friends say I'm not the smartest."

"Well, the sorting hat is never wrong. Ravenclaw's are clever, right? So why don't you prove you're a Ravenclaw and find us a way out, away from the bad men outside."

"Alright," Leo said, climbing out from under the table. He looked around the broken down shop, searching for a way out. "Over here." He grabbed Cat's hand and led her to the back of the store. There were a few bricks piled up from falling. Leo started grabbing at the bricks before they revealed a hole in the wall. Leo grabbed Cat's hand again before climbing through the hole, pulling her after him.

"Nice job Leo!" Cat said. "Now let's go." Cat walked toward the hill back up to Hogwarts with Leo still holding her hand. She turned back around to look into Hogsmeade. She could hear yelling and see flashes of light. Cat worried for James. She hoped he was okay but she couldn't leave Leo on his own. Once he was safe, she'd come back down and find him.

"Thank you," Leo said as they walked up to the castle. "For helping me."

"Thank you for finding us a way out." When they made their way back, Mgonagall was standing by the entrance.

"Catriona," she said before pulling Cat into a hug. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Why were you down there?"

"No, I'm fine, I'm not hurt. I was at Madam Puddifoot's with James when the explosion happened. I helped a few people and found Leo hiding under a table," Cat explained.

"Let's get you to the Hospital Wing," Mcgonagall told him. "Poppy, here's another one." Madam Pomfrey came over and grabbed Leo's hand.

"Bye Cat," Leo waved before Madam Pomfrey walked him away.

"Where are you going?" Mcgonagall asked, seeing Cat turn around and start for the village.

"James is still down there, I have to see if he's okay," Cat told her.

"We sent trained duelers down. If Mr. Potter is still fighting, he'll be safe," Mcgonagall assured her.

"But-"

"No buts. Why don't you go see Madam Pomfrey to make sure you are alright," Mcgonagall instructed. Cat looked back down the hill before reluctantly going to the Hospital Wing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit of an intense part


	26. Chapter 26

CAT sat next to Leo as Madam Pomfrey checked him for injuries. He had a few scrapes and bruises that Cat didn't see before. When she was done and Leo was fixed up, Madam Pomfrey left to help any other injured in the explosions to the Hospital Wing. She couldn't help but think about James. She shouldn't have listened to her mom. She should've gone to find him. Leo was alright, so what was she doing just sitting here? "Is your friend going to be okay?" Leo asked, pulling Cat out of her thoughts.

"Hm?" Cat hummed, not completely hearing his question.

"Your friend, James? Is he okay?" Leo asked again.

"I hope so," Cat looked around the room at the other beds as if James would just appear.

"You should go back to find him," Leo insisted. "I'm fine." Leo was right so Cat stood up and walked towards the doors. When she opened them, she was greeted with Madam Pomfrey rushing inside. Behind her was James, only he was floating and unconscious.

"James?" she muttered. Cat followed Madam Pomfrey to the bed she laid James down in. "What's wrong with him? Is he okay?"

"He will be," Madam Pomfrey said shortly.

"What happened?"

"He just had a blow to the head and possibly a few broken ribs," Madam Pomfrey explained. 

"I could've stayed down there and helped."

"You helped enough people and if you did stay down there, Leo would still be in danger. Now I have to get started, you can wait out there." And with that, Madam Pomfrey shut the curtains in her face. 

"What's wrong? Was that your friend?" Leo asked, seeing the tears that formed in Cat's eyes.

"Yeah that was him, he's going to be okay," she said to Leo.

"Cat?" someone called. Cat turned around and saw Remus, Sirius, and Peter running through the doors. 

"Are you alright?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah I-I'm fine," Cat said, trying hard to stop the tears from coming out of her eyes.

"Where's James? Mcgonagall said he was here?" Peter asked.

"He's in there," Car nodded toward the closed curtain. "We were- we were at Madam Puddifoot's when the explosion happened. James, he started dueling with one of the cloaked figures, I'm pretty sure they were Deah Eaters. I went to help people who were injured when I found Leo," she moved over to show Leo who was laying in the bed, watching them. "I brought him back up but I should've stayed." Cat now couldn't help the few tears escaped her eyes. "I left James alone down there and I could've helped him. He got hit in the head with something and broke a few ribs. I could've helped him." The tears were now streaming down her face when Remus hugged her

❏❏❏

Cat decided to skip dinner and sit with James. She still blamed herself, even after Remus, Sirius, and Peter tried to convince her it wasn't her fault. She was fighting the exhaustion that was overcoming her. 

Nearly an hour before curfew, James started to stir and wake up. "Cat?" he mumbled.

Cat looked up from her book and smiled at him, relieved he was okay and awake now. "Hi." James looked around the room, confused. "You're in the Hospital Wing."

"How did I get here?" James asked.

"You got hit in the head and were knocked unconscious by one of the Death Eaters. If I would've stayed, I could've helped you," Cat explained.

"It wasn't your fault. You were helping others like the Healer you want to be," James told her.

"Yeah well, you want to be a professional Quidditch player, not a soldier in a war."

"With this war coming, I don't know what I'll be," James commented. "Who's that?" he asked, looking at Leo's bed.

"Leo. I found him under a table in Zonko's," Cat told him.

"He's cute," James commented and looked over to Leo's bed while rubbing his eyes under his glasses.

"You should get more sleep," Cat told him.

"But I just woke up," he complained.

"I know but you look exhausted. You also need sleep to fully recover."

"I feel fine, see," James tried to get up but winced when he sat up. Cat gave him a pointed look and he laid back down. "Maybe sleep won't hurt." James closed his eyes and drifted into sleep

❏❏❏

OCTOBER 15th 1976

The next morning, Cat was woken up by Marlene lightly shaking her. "Cat, wake up," she whispered.

Cat opened her eyes, not knowing where she was. After looking around, she realized she was in the hospital wing. James was still fast asleep on the bed. "What is it?" Cat asked Marlene.

"Madam Pomfrey wanted me to get you out of here, classes are about to start," Marlene told her.

"I need to go back to the dorm to get my robes." Cat was still in the dusty jumper and skirt she wore to Hogsmeade the day before. Marlene held out her hands with Cat's clean outfit in them. "You're a life saver." Cat grabbed them and quickly changed behind a privacy curtain.

❏❏❏

The first classes of the day went by in a haze. The lessons were easy and mostly note taking, which Cat didn't hate. When Lily, Cat, Marlene, and Rachel entered the Defense Against the Dark arts classroom. All the desks were pushed back and there were groups of students around the room. Peter, Remus, and Sirius were standing by the front, talking with Alice Fortescue and Mary Macdonald. "Hey guys," Marlene said when the four girls walked up to them.

"Hey, have you gone to see James?" Sirius immediately asked, turning his attention away from Alice and Mary. Remus and Peter also looked away from the two girls, to their disliking.

"No, I haven't had a chance," Cat said.

"Well we can all see him now," Remus nodded towards the door where a very peppy looking James was making his way over to them.

"Hey James, are you okay?" Lily asked right away.

"Fine," James shrugged.

"Madam Pomfrey let you out?" Cat asked.

"Yeah, said I looked alright," James told her. Cat raised an eyebrow, not believing a word he was saying. "Why don't we focus on the lesson." James put his arm around Cat's shoulder and they started listening to the Professors lesson.

"Does anyone know what this is?" he asked the class.

"A wardrobe?" Peter sarcastically asked. A few chuckles surfaced throughout the room.

"Yes, Mr. Pettigrew, it is a wardrobe. Does anyone happen to know what is inside?" He asked, waiting for a response even Lily didn't have. "No? Okay. Inside is a Boggart." Lily shot her hand up without hearing his question. "Yes, Miss Evans?"

"A boggart shows your biggest fear," She informed the class.

"That is correct, we will be dealing with this boggart today." The professor explained how to get rid of one, then directed everyone to get in a line. 

After half the class went, Remus went up. His boggart turned out to be a werewolf standing over four injured animals, a stag, a black dog, a fox, and a rat. Of course, no one else knew why this was his biggest fear.

No one expected the boggarts to be this serious. One girl's boggart was her parents with a snake tattoo on their arm widely known as the dark mark. After someone's boggart came and gone, the person's mood shifted completely, and not for the better.

After Remus, it was James' turn. The boggart swirled into the air before splitting into Sirius. James looked over his shoulder to where his friends were standing. "Why'd you do that James," the boggart said. "I thought I trusted you," it screamed.

"I-" James said before the boggart shifted again. This time it was Cat.

"Do me one last favor and never come near me ever again," it seethed. The boggart shifted, once again, this time to Remus.

"We all trusted you. Why couldn't you keep your big mouth shut just this once," the boggart spat.

"James," Peter whispered. James was stuck, staring wide-eyed at the boggart. "Get rid of it." 

James snapped back from the trance and yelled "Ridikulus!" He walked back to his friends.

"James," Cat said. "You know none of us could hate you, right?"

James' lips curled into a smile, "Oh I know. You all love me." 

Sirius was next to go. The black cloud once again swirled and landed on the ground. The mass of darkness turned into a mirror image of Sirius. Only it wasn't him. The boggart's hair wasn't in the messy bun Sirius' was, his robes were straighter and he looked more put together. Finally, it spoke. "Look at this disappointment." It looked around the room and saw a few girls staring at them. "What are you looking at, Mudblood." The girls seemed to shrink down and he turned to Cat and Remus. "Playing house with half-bloods and blood-traitors too, I see. What a-"

"Ridikulus," Sirius yelled. He walked back to James, Remus, Peter, and Cat with his head down.

"You know that isn't you, right?" Remus asked. "You changed and picked the right side." Sirius nodded and the professor called Cat up to look.

Like the previous times, the black mass swirled up and landed right in front of her. Like Sirius', the boggart was a mirror image of her. Unlike Sirius', she looked the exact same. Same robes, same hair, same overall persona. Cat looked over her shoulder to her friends, her boggart doing the same, looking over its shoulder. When Cat lifted her arm, so did the boggart. When Cat tilted her head, so did the boggart. When Cat lifted her wand to shout the spell, so did the boggart.

"What do you think that was?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know," Cat said, equally confused.

At the end of class, while she was walking out with James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus, her best friends, the people she spent every waking moment with. Whether she was in the library with Remus. Sneaking to the kitchens late at night with Peter. Pulling silly little pranks on Slytherin with Sirius. Laying on the couches with James, she was always with them. That's when it dawned on her that her boggart, the thing she fears the most, is being completely and utterly alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took ages to come out lol


	27. Chapter 27

THE morning of Halloween was nothing short of eventful. The morning started off how every other Sunday morning did, with Cat sleeping and everyone else in the common room. On this Sunday morning, Rachel was the one who had waken her up, which was weird seen as Rachel never woke someone up unless there was a fire. She believed everyone needs as much sleep as they can get. "Why are you waking me up?" Cat asked as she sat up.

"You're being summoned to the common room by a suspicious looking James Potter," Rachel informed her.

"Oh Merlin, what could he want now?" Cat asked herself as she slipped on a jumper and pants. She followed Rachel down the stairs, who quickly ran for the portrait hole. James was sitting in the armchair, looking into the fire. "James, what do you need?" she asked.

"Do you remember what happened last year?" he asked, turning to her. Not letting Cat answer, he continued. "You jumped out of a window, making me get a week of detention."

"It's already been a year? Wow, time flies after you pin a prank on someone else," she winked at him.

"None of that, back to my speech," he waved her off. "Last year, you marked the start of a war."

"A war? For getting you a weeks detention? You have got more detention than that," Cat interjected.

"Yes I have, now would you stop interrupting me? What I was trying to say was you better watch your back," James said with a cheeky wink and a nod behind her.

"Watch my-" Cat turned around, only to be doused in nearly two gallons of paint.

"Muggle style prank," Sirius said, high-fiving Remus. Cat wiped the paint from out of her eyes so she could see the four, very happy, boys standing in front of her.

"You realize I can wash this off in the shower," Cat told them. Peter got out his wand and muttered a spell that was inaudible to Cat. She raised an eyebrow at the boys and retreated back into her dorm to shower.

❏❏❏

"BOYS!" Cat came running down the stairs screaming. When she found nobody, she went up the stairs to the boys dorm. After rapping on the door a few times, Peter slowly opened it. "James Fleamont Potter, Sirius Orion Black, Remus John Lupin, Peter..." Cat faltered, not knowing Peter's middle name. She felt the need to use their full name, seen as she was livid.

"We just use Wormtail as his middle name," Remus offered. 

"Thank you. Peter Wormtail Pettigrew. You four are dead." Cat crossed her arms and stood there.

"What ever could you mean?" James asked, peering over from the Quidditch magazine he was reading.

"You look quite fine," Sirius said. Cat took her wand out and pointed it at herself. With the Glamour spell leaving, her red stained skin peered through. The four boys, not being able to contain it, burst into laughter. 

Quickly, Cat put the Glamour spell back on. "You four are absolutely dead."

"You look fine with the spell on," Peter said.

"The spell only lasts so long," Cat told them. "If you three don't fix this, you will regret it." Cat turned around and shut the door. She made her way to the library to return a few books she had borrowed a few nights prior.

❏❏❏

Cat left the library around 4pm. She had decided to stay and study for a test she had the next day. When she walked into the common room, she was almost tackled to the ground by James, who seemed to be in a hurry to get out of there. "Sorry love," he said, catching her before she fell. "I'd love to stay and chat but me and Padfoot have big things to do." James gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing back out the door.

"What are those two in a hurry for?" Cat asked Remus as she sat down next to him.

"Padfoot knows where the 'good alcohol' is for the party later," Remus explained.

"Do they not realize it's a Sunday? I doubt my mum wants all her students showing up hungover," Cat said.

"They won't be with your amazing hangover cure," Remus winked. Cat sighed and layed her head on Remus' shoulder.

"How did we end up with the two biggest idiots in the entire school?"

"I've been asking myself the same thing."

"Cat. Up. Now," Marlene said, barging into the room.

"What is it?" Cat asked.

"We have a party to get ready for," Marlene said, grabbing Cat's arm and pulling her up. "Oh and Remus, Black told me to make sure you were putting up decorations." Remus sighed before pulling himself off the couch and started on the decor.

In their dorm, Marlene pulled a trunk out of the closet that stood alone in the corner. "What's that?" Cat asked, sitting in Marlene's bed.

"Costumes," Marlene said.

"Consumes? This is a costume party?" Cat asked.

"Yes now come down here and pick your's out," Marlene pulled Cat down to the floor next to her.

❏❏❏

After two hours of hair, outfits, and makeup, Cat and Marlene walked down to the party. The common room was already filled with Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, but most of all, Gryffindors. Sirius took up his normal spot by the record player in shorts in no shirt, insisting he was dressed as a professional swimmer. Cat thought she would feel out of place wearing a costume, but James told the portrait of The Fat Lady to not let anyone in unless they were in costume. Marlene was dressed up as what Muggles believed witch's looked like and Cat had a short flowy, flowery dress on with white platform boots up to her thighs. She had no idea what it was but Marlene had insisted she wear it. "Looking good Cat," James said, coming up from behind her. She turned around and saw he was wearing a white tee shirt with a leather jacket and black jeans on.

"You too," Cat said.

"What are you?" 

"No idea, Marlene told me to put it on."

"Still looks good," James complimented.

"And what are you?"

"A biker," he said, smoothing his hair back which obviously had loads of hair gel in it to hold back his wild curls. "Like in the Muggle movie West Side Story." James slung his arm around Cat's shoulders and started walking into the crowd.

The portrait opened and the group entered, whooping. Cat and James turned around to see the group of three who had entered: Mulciber, Severus Snape, and Evan Rosier. Cat audibly groaned and turned back to James. "I'm going to need a drink if these three are going to be here," Cat said. Her and James walked towards the make-shift bar while Mulciber exclaimed why they were whooping.

"Guess who just got passed the restriction spell!" he had yelled. It was plainly obvious that the three had pre-gamed. Cat poured herself and James a drink, before James walked towards the portrait to put the spell back up. 

In the time James was gone, Evan Rosier made his way over to Cat. "Hello Cat."

"I've told you and your friends many times that it is Catriona to you," Cat told him.

"Sorry love, I was just wondering if you wanted to dance?" he asked.

"No, not exactly," Cat told him. She turned around and poured herself another drink.

"What, are you and Potter together or something?" Evan asked, raising his eyebrow.

"As a matter of fact, yes, we are together. But that's not the only reason I declined your offer." Cat turned to leave but Evan grabbed her wrist, spinning her around.

"This isn't an offer you can walk away from," Evan said with a mischievous smile.

"Cat, are you alright?" James asked, walking back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Cat said. She jerked her wrist away from Evan's grip.

"Actually, Potter, we were having a conversation. If you would kindly fuck off, that would be great," Evan told James, eyeing him.

"No, Rosier, we weren't," Cat walked past Evan to James' side.

"You're going to leave me for this?"

"Shut your mouth Rosier."

"James, let's go. Come on." Cat pulled James away from Evan, after he looked like he was going to punch him.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is a slight homophobic slur at the beginning

IT wasn't even two hours into the party when a fight broke out, a record. Except for this time, it wasn't just the hot-headed Sirius Black, it was also his calm boyfriend, Remus Lupin, and his best friend, James Potter. Evan Rosier, Mulciber, and Severus Snape refused to leave. "You three, out," Remus, being a prefect, demanded after Mulciber drunkenly fell onto the table, snapping it in half under his weight.

"I think we are perfectly fine here, Lupin," Snape responded, sitting on the couch. Evan took up the armchair and Mulciber stayed, laughing, on the ground.

"Unless you plan on fixing that table before Minnie finds out, you are leaving this party," Sirius told the three.

"What are you pansies going to do about it?" Evan nonchalantly asked. Sirius and Remus both went stone-faced, but that was the last straw for James. He grabbed Evan by the collar of his shirt and pulled him off the couch. James' fist collided with Evan's cheek, kicking him back onto the couch. At this point, Snape and Mulciber stood up. Before either of them could make it to Evan and James, they too got punched, each by Sirius and Remus. 

Cat walked down the stairs from fixing her hair up in the dorm bathrooms to Evan on top of James, Sirius had Mulciber up against the wall, punching him. Snape had fallen unconscious with Remus' one punch. "What the hell," Cat muttered under her breath. She walked over to where James was punching Rosier while Rosier tried getting a few punches in. "Flipendo." Evan was knocked off James, sliding a few feet back on the floors.

"Sirius," Remus said, grabbing Sirius' shoulder to get him off Mulciber. "Party's over, everyone back to their houses." A range of groans rose while the other houses left out. Mulciber helped Evan up off the ground and together, they helped Snape up.

"This isn't over, Potter," Even spat at him.

"Yes it is, Rosier," Cat countered. She sat on the ground by James. "Are you okay?" James had more blood on his face than Sirius or Remus. He got a few punches on Rosier before he got pinned on the ground. Still, Rosier looked worse than him.

"I'm fine," he groaned.

"You definitely got a broken nose," Cat told him, carefully examining his face. Most of the common room was empty by now, except for a few people who didn't want to go to sleep, despite it being nearly 1 am with classes in the morning. "Come on." Cat helped James stand and started walking towards the portrait.

"What are we doing?" James asked as they stepped through the hole.

"Taking you to the Hospital Wing," Cat told him. She started walking down the stairs before she realized James wasn't following her. "Are you coming?"

"It's 1 in the morning, I'm pretty sure we aren't supposed to be roaming the halls," James said.

"Is James Potter following rules?" Cat sarcastically asked, raising an eyebrow. "I know the password to open the doors after Pomfrey leaves." Cat grabbed James' jacket sleeve and pulled him down the stairs.

Their walk was a quiet one, before Cat asked, "Why'd you punch him anyway?"

"He was getting on my nerves," James answered.

"And..."

"He called Sirius and Remus an . . . inappropriate word," James said. "And tried to dance with you. I get jealous easily." James' serious tone was replaced with a jokingly one.

"Mandrake," Cat whispered to the door. The locks shifted and the door propped open. Cat lit the candles mounted on the wall to light up the room. "Sit."

"Yes ma'am," James said with a grin as he sat down on the closest bed. Cat went over to the cabinet with all the healing potions. There had to be at least thirty vials per shelf with five shelves in all. She cast a small light with her wand to see better. When she finally found the potion to heal broken bones, she walked back to James. "Will this hurt?" he asked.

"Only a bit. The potion hurts less than the spell," Cat handed the small bottle to James, and he chugged it within a second.

"Won't Pomfrey know...it's gone," he said with a strained voice. 

"I can easily make up another one," Cat told him. "Now for these scratches." Cat disappeared once again and came back with another vial.

"Another one?" James groaned.

"You don't have to ingest this one," Cat laughed. "I only have to rub it on the wound and it will all be healed up." Cat grabbed a washcloth and dipped it into the potion. James winced a bit at the touch of the liquid. "Stay still, will you?"

"What is it with you being next to me in here?" James asked with a light laugh.

"I guess you just need to stop getting hurt," Cat told him. 

The two sat in a comfortable silence while Cat tended to his cuts. It was silent, except for the ticking of the clock that showed it was now 1:30 am, until James blurted out, "I think I love you." Cat was taken aback by this. She leaned back from where she was cleaning James' face. "I mean- I don't think, I know. I love you."

Cat looked at him for a while, examining him. "I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is super short lol sorry but i didn’t want anything going after the last line


	29. Chapter 29

DECEMBER 16 1976

"I'm telling you, it's a good idea," Sirius said while playing a game of gobstones with Remus.

"Blowing up the Slytherin common room isn't a good idea," Remus countered. 

"Maybe they deserve it," Peter said. The five of them, James, Cat, Remus, Sirius, and Peter were all lounging in the common room on a Thursday evening. The common room was uncharacteristically cold. Although it was the middle of December, the common room was always warm. Cat was snuggled up into James' chest and had a blanket over her, yet somehow she was still freezing. Obviously, James noticed and pulled her in closer.

"How are you still cold? The fire is going and you have a huge blanket on," James teased.

"Shut up," Cat laughed. The common room door swung open and Lily came running in. "Lils, hey." Lily ran right past everyone, straight to the dorm room.

"What's wrong with her?" Peter asked. Cat sat up and turned around to look at the stairs Lily just fled up.

"Lily, slow down," Marlene's voice came from the stairway. Lily came running down, pulling Rachel and Marlene with her.

"You alright, Lily?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," she nodded enthusiastically. "I need you all to shut up so I can get this in."

"Alright," Cat said.

"What did I say," Lily snapped. Cat put her hands up and laid back down on James. "So at the prefect meeting - Remus you missed the meeting - I finally, finally, convinced Mcgonagall and Dumbledore, after three years of trying-"

"You didn't!" Marlene exclaimed.

"Is this what you've been on about since third year?" Peter asked.

"I heard about that," Rachel said. "I'm not a very dressy person."

"I, on the other hand, am," Sirius proudly said.

"You and Moony would look good in matching suits," James complimented.

"Um," Cat raised her hand. The other seven looked at her. "Hi, yeah, I haven't been here since third year so can someone fill me in?"

"Lily's been asking-" Remus started.

"Begging," Marlene corrected.

"Begging for a winter ball," Remus finished.

"A ball? Like dresses and music?" Cat asked.

"Yeah, not only that, a masquerade ball," James told her.

"Like in the movie Romeo & Juliet? With the masks and floofy dresses?" Cat excitedly asked, sitting up.

"Yes!" Lily practically yelled. "No one ever references that movie."

"It's my favorite," Cat said.

"The part-"

"Enough of your Muggle movies," Marlene swatted. "I need more details on the ball."

"It's black and white themed and on Christmas," Lily informed the group.

"Moony!" Sirius yelled. Remus flinched and turned to face him. "Black and white. I'm a Black so, obviously, I'm wearing a black tux. You can wear an elegant white one."

"No, Black, that's the thing about Masquerade balls. You can't plan your outfit with your date. When you get to the ball in your mask, you have to find them," Lily said.

"What if he shows up as an atrocious mess!" Sirius exclaimed, dramatically falling into Remus' arms.

"Oi," Remus shoved him back up. "How do you think I feel? As far as I know, you could show up in a pink unitard and jacket."

"Please don't give him any ideas," Cat groaned, standing up.

"Where are you going?" James asked, standing up with her.

"To bed, I am exhausted," Cat yawned. 

"Go on a quick walk with me?" James asked.

"Why not," Cat sighed and grabbed James' hand, which he offered out.

❏❏❏

DECEMBER 31 1976

The morning of the Masquerade Ball was hectic, to say the least. Cat's day started off wonderful, with a loud rapping at the door. She waited to see if Lily, Marlene, or Rachel would get it, but after no one did, Cat figured they were all awake and at breakfast. Cat opened the door and found Remus standing outside it with dripping hair. "Remus? What are you doing and why is your hair wet?" Cat asked.

"Sirius is taking Lily's no-seeing-your-date thing a little too seriously, no pun intended. He practically dragged me out of my shower and told me not to come back or see him until tonight. I didn't even think Sirius could possibly wake up this early," Remus explained.

"So you want to use our shower and get ready with us?" Cat asked.

"If that's alright with you," Remus awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, looking around

Cat hadn't noticed before, but all Remus had on were a pair of pants and no shirt. She knew how self-conscious he was about his scars so she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room. "Of course. You can hang out with us for today."

"It is so much cleaner in here than ours," Remus noticed.

"That's because Lily makes us clean up every night," she told him. "I'll be right back and when you're done with your shower we can head to lunch, yeah?" Remus nodded and closed the bathroom door after him. Cat left the room and walked up the steps that led to the boy's dorm room. She knocked on the door and Peter was the one who opened it.

As soon as Sirius saw Cat, he dramatically gasped and shut the curtains around James' bed. "You can not be in here, Miss Catriona," Sirius scolded. "It's the rules."

"It's not like we're getting married, Padfoot. We can see our dates before this dance," James laughed, pulling the curtains back. Cat sat on his bed and kissed him on the cheek.

"He's right, you are taking this too far. Remus showed up at our door and said you pulled him out of his shower," Cat told him.

"That's what that was?" Peter asked.

"I don't want to see him until tonight, I want to try to guess which boy is him," Sirius said.

"So," Cat turned to James. "What are you wearing?"

"I-"

"No. None of that. Be grateful I am letting you be in here. You are not seeing what he is wearing," Sirius cut James off.

"Fine, if any of you want to join Remus and I at breakfast, you are more than welcome to," Cat told them before leaving. She sat down on the couch to wait for Remus to get out of the shower so they could go to breakfast when James sat down next to her. "I never knew Sirius Black could follow rules."

"Me too, it's too much for me to handle, if I'm being honest."

❏❏❏

Cat and Marlene arrived at the ball a few minutes later than Remus and Lily had. Marlene was in a white suit with white platform heels. She said she had wanted to make a statement. Cat had on a black silk dress that had a slit from her thigh down. "I never asked you, who are you looking for?" Cat asked Marlene as they made their way down the staircase.

"Do you know Dorcas Meadows?" she asked. Cat abruptly stopped, making Marlene stop as well.

"Are you joking!" Cat exclaimed. "Dorcas Meadows? Oh Merlin."

"What? Do you not think it's a good idea? I knew I should've told you earlier."

"No, Marls, I was going to say I love it. You two look amazing together," Cat told her. The pair continued down the stairs where they were met with Lily, who was in a flowy white dress, and Remus, who was in a white tux as Sirius wanted.

"Where are your masks?" Lily asked.

"Right," Cat said. She put her mask up to her eyes. It was Black with little silvery finishing on it. "Am I really going to have to hold it here all night?" 

"No," Remus said. He took Cat's mask out of her hand and snapped the handle off.

"Remus," Lily scolded. Remus continued to put a spell on the mask then put it onto Cat's face, where it hovered just over her eyes.

"Wow, thanks," Cat said. The group of four walked into the Great Hall. The decorations were all an elegant black and white. With the outfit theme being black and white, along with the decor, it seemed as though you had stepped right into an old, black and white movie.

The group found a table to sit at and drinks appeared as they sat down. "So Lily, who are you here to find?" Marlene asked.

"Amos Diggory," she said, scanning the room.

"The seventh year Hufflepuff?" Cat asked. Lily hummed a yes before she shot up and walked towards someone. Her seat was replaced with none other than Dorcas Meadows. 

"You found me quick," Marlene pointed out. 

"You're easy to spot out. Wanna dance?" Dorcas asked. Marlene smiled, grabbed her hand, and pulled Dorcas out into the crowd.

"And then there were two," Cat said, changing seats so she was now next to Remus.

"How are we supposed to find two boys in a room full of masked people?" Remus questioned, scanning the room along with Cat.

"Look for the two who are making a full of themselves."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have decided i’m not going write seventh year because i don’t have ideas but a have TONS of ideas for the war so stay tuned ;)


End file.
